Leak Detection

The most common culprits of leakage are leaking toilets or dripping faucets. A dripping faucet or fixture can waste 3 gallons a day... a total of 1,095 gallons a year. The table below shows the diameter of the leak holes and the amount of water that could be lost over a three-month period.

Diameter of Hole
1/4"
3/16"
1/8"
1/16"
Gallons
1,181,500
666,000
296,000
74,000
Cubic Feet
158,000
89,031
39,400
9,850
Cubic Meters
4,475
2,521
1,115
280

All water services in our service territory are metered. Meter readings determine the water charges on your quarterly bill.

Reading your meter is a great way to detect a leak if you have one.

Our field employees read meters during the last week of the month and the first week of the following month. We would like to request our customers to kindly clear the shrubs around the meters, if possible. That would help our employees immensely in getting to your touchpad.

Checking for Leaks

Turn off all water inside and outside the house including showers, sinks, washing machines, and any other appliances that use water.

If your meter has a triangular blue or red "leak indicator" dial and it is spinning, you may have a leak.

If there is no leak indicator and the actual meter dial hand is moving, water is running somewhere in your system and you may have a leak.

If the hand is not moving, note the position of the hand and wait several hours, making sure not to use any water in the house or yard. Check the meter again. If the hand has moved, you may have a slow leak.

Checking for a Toilet Leak

The toilet is one of the most common places to find leaks in your home. Sometimes it's easy to tell whether a toilet is leaking - you hear water running. But leaks can be silent too. Here's a few easy steps to check for toilet leaks:

  • Remove the toilet tank lid.
  • Place a dye tablet or 10 drops of food coloring into the toilet tank. Do no flush.
  • If color appears in the bowl within 10 minutes, this means water is leaking from the tank.
  • Replace or repair your toilet.