So, when they read the meter, and saw that it was flooded at the meter or nearby, they didn't think to mention that to you? I ask because you said "surprise bill" - another comment i made explains my neighbor's water meters have a light on them that lights up if there's a leak, which the meter reader can see and the homeowner usually cannot - the only reason to not notify the homeowner of an issue is because of $.
If I recall correctly, we discovered and fixed the leak because the ground around the meter had become a mud pit, then the meter was read some time later. The size of the bill was still a surprise.
