Appleton officials say an 84-year-old man must pay a nearly $3,000 quarterly water bill for a home he hasn't lived in for more than a year.

The Appleton Common Council voted unanimously Wednesday that Norm Beckman must pay the bill after a public works investigation found three leaks in his pipes.

Investigators determined the leaks allowed about 44,700 cubic feet of water to enter Beckman's home and then flow into city sanitary sewers from Jan. 1 through March 31.

Beckman says he's not surprised by the council's vote but finds it hard to believe that much water flowed through his home without leaving evidence.

Beckman moved into an assisted living community in October 2007.