Water Leaks

WATER LEAK ADJUSTMENT

A District customer may be eligible for a Leak Adjustment credit when a leak on the customer’s side of the meter impacts the water bill.  The customer should make reasonable efforts to locate the leak and initiate repairs.  Once repairs are completed the customer should contact the District to initiate the Leak Adjustment process.

District staff will complete the Application for Leak Adjustment form and request the customer’s signature on the application.  The adjustment will be equal to one-half of the estimated leak, calculated by subtracting the average monthly bill for the previous three (3) months from a one month leak bill and dividing the result by two (2).  To qualify for the Leak Adjustment the leak must be repaired in a timely fashion.

 

How to Check for a Leak

  • Make sure no water is running in the house such as faucets, toilets, ice maker, water softener, dishwasher, etc.
  • Locate your water meter and remove the lid.  On the dial face of some meters there is a small triangle that may be red or black.  This feature is a leak indicator.  If no water is being used and this triangle is turning, you may have a leak.  On meters with a digital reading, the leak indicator displays as a dripping faucet.  A digital meter requires light on the solar cells for reading so it may be necessary to shine a small flashlight on the meter to see the leak indicator or the reading  If the leak indicator is not turning and a dripping faucet is not displayed, but you still suspect a leak, write down the numbers exactly as they appear on the dial including the stationary zero on non-digital meters.  Wait about 30 minutes and check the meter again. If no water has been used and the numbers have moved, you may have a leak.
  • To narrow down where the leak may be, turn off the main valve for the house and check the meter again. If the meter or leak indicator is no longer turning or the dripping faucet does not display, the leak is in the house. If the main valve to the house is turned off and the meter or leak indicator continues to turn or the dripping faucet is displayed, the leak is in the service line between the meter and the house.
  • If the leak is determined to be inside the house and is not evident, a common culprit is a toilet that does not shut off properly after being flushed or is leaking past the valve. A quick test to check for a leaking toilet is to add a few drops of food dye to the water in the toilet tank and wait about 10 minutes. If after 10 minutes the color from the tank is also in the toilet bowl, your toilet is leaking.
  • If your checks have indicated you have a leak, you will need to contact a plumber for the repair.