Leak Check

Lower your Water Bill, Help us Conserve, and Protect your Home!

Did you know that a typical home can lose up 10,000 gallons of water per year due to leaks? Some leaks are obvious, such as dripping faucets and leaking water heaters. Unfortunately, some leaks are not easily visible as others and can be between walls or even underground. 

The districts automated metering infrastructure provides access to timely and accurate information about customers’ water consumption. Utilizing the portal is the best tool to track usage, sign up for alerts, and even help find leaks!

Toilets - Biggest cause of Indoor Leaks

Leaking toilets can be silent and will not show any signs of water on the floor.  Basically, water from the supply line to the toilet is entering the tank, then the bowl, when the bowl fills up it then spills down the drain; like when the toilet is flushed. A running toilet is sending water straight down the drain with no mess for you to clean up. These are the leaks that we are trying to catch! 

Request a FREE Dye Test! 

Remove automatic bowl cleaners, put a few drops of food coloring or dye tablet into the tank of the toilet. Do not flush the toilet for 10 minutes. If colored water appears in the bowl, your toilet has a leak.


Toilet Blueprint
Dye Test

Download a FREE HANDBOOK from FLUIDMASTER!

Next: After you perform the dye test if it appears that you do have a leak...

...Check the toilet flapper for a complete seal. Rubber flappers degrade over time. The flapper may be in need of replacement or a simple cleaning.

...If you notice that water is flowing into the overflow tube, you have an overflow leak. Adjust/lower the fill valve (or float) in order to lower the water line within the tank. The water line should always sit below the top entrance of the overflow tube.

...Make any adjustments/repairs 

Consider switching out old, high-volume toilets that can use as much as 6 gallons per flush, compared to new Ultra-Low Flush (ULF) toilets which use only 1.6 gallons per flush or High-Efficiency toilets (HET) which use 1.28 gallons per flush.  Rebates are available!

OUTDOOR - Irrigation System
Typical home Use

The average single family residence uses about 50% of water outdoors on the landscape. After checking for leaks; learn more about reducing what's needed outside! 

Irrigation leaks are often episodic and occur only when the system turns on. On average each sprinkler head distributes between 1 – 4 gallons per minute. Excessive run times and broken heads can cause exponential increases in water use. Soft spots on your lawn and around the sprinkler could indicate a leak that is being absorbed into the ground. Contact your landscape maintenance specialist if repairs are needed. 

Pool and Ponds

AUTOFILL DEVICES: 

Pool or pond auto-fill devices work the same way as a toilet.  As people use the pool and splash water out or the sun evaporates the water from the pool or pond, the auto-fill device will kick on and fill the pool or pond to the desired level.  Over time, these devices can fail and continuously fill the pool or pond. Many pools and ponds are designed with an overfill pipe that will lead water to a natural drain making these leaks harder to find.  If you suspect you have a leak in your auto-fill device, check the device, find your overflow pipe, and look inside.  If water is actively flowing into the overflow pipe, you may need to either adjust the height of the float mechanism or replace the device. Contact your pool and pond specialists with any questions.

POOL LEAK TEST :

  1. Bring the pool water to normal level. Fill a 5-gallon bucket with pool water to about two-thirds from the top.
  2. Place the bucket on the first or second step of the pool. Ensure the bucket is immersed in the pool at least five inches.
  3. Mark the water level inside the bucket.
  4. Shut off the pump and auto fill and mark the pool water level on the outside of the bucket.
  5. Resume normal pool pump operation.
  6. After 24 hours, compare the two water levels. If the pool water (outside mark) goes down more than the bucket's water level, there is probably a leak. If levels are the same, only evaporation has occurred.
Pressure Regulating Valve

The pressure regulating valve (PRV) is a bell-shaped device located on the main water supply line before it enters the home. PRV's regulate the stress from water pressure inside the pipes of the home to keep appliances and the overall plumbing system safe.  

How do I know if my pressure-reducing valve is bad?

  1. Diminishing or fluctuating water pressure
  2. No water pressure
  3. Thumping, banging, hammering, or vibrating noises in the walls
  4.  High water pressure, water leaking from faucet, toilet running constantly
PRV