True, but most municipal water systems also have flat rate for customers that have another source of water, such as a well, but are connected to the POTW (sewer system) Also, some communities put a fire protection charge on the water bill. This is for maintainance of the fire hydrant system. If Cape Coral has such a charge then the woman would not be paying her fair share of fire hydrant maintenance costs yet she is getting the benefit. Don’t know for sure but that’s the way it works where I live.
Even the firefighting services themselves need a source of revenue to operate and it must come from the people who are protected by the service.
I have read of people who fought paying for firefighting and then complained when a fire broke out and the firefighters didn't respond and their home was allowed to burn down.
What did such an owner expect? That they could simply make the most recent payment and then qualify for firefighting response, only to quit making payments as soon as the fire is out? Who in his right mind would pay every month for firefighting services if he could just wait until there is a fire before paying?
These are the same kind of people who expect "health insurance" to cover pre-existing conditions. You can't buy fire insurance on a home that is on fire. Similarly, you shouldn't be able to buy health insurance for a health matter that already exists without having to pay a premium that takes into account the known condition.