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Leak Detection Tips
Typical Residential Water Meter
Did you know?
Most common reasons for high water usage are excessive irrigation and leaky plumbing fixtures. Below are some Leak Detection Tips and possible causes of excessive water usage. Every water-using appliance or activity in your home can make a difference!!
* A 1/32" leak wastes 170 gallons of water in 24 hours
* A 1/16" leak wastes 940 gallons of water in 24 hours
* A 1/8" leak wastes 3600 gallons of water in 24 hours
How to Detect A Possible Leak
1. Make sure all water using fixtures in your home are not in use.
2. Check to see if the leak indicator (pictured above) on the face of the meter is moving. If it is, there is something in your home that
is using water that you may not be aware of.
3. Keep track of your water usage by writing down your meter reading before you go to bed and when you wake up.
You can also do this in the morning before you leave and when you get home. This will allow you to see if there is water being
used that you are not aware of. Monitor this for 1-2 weeks.
4. Put a drop of food coloring in the water tank of your toilet. If, without flushing, your toilet bowl turns color - this is an indication
of a leak. Most common causes are either the flush valve is old and brittle and is not fitting tightly causing water to leak through or
the chain that lifts the flush valve may be kinked or broken. Leaky toilets can waste hundreds of gallons of water a day!
5. If you have a water softener - make sure it has the appropriate amount of salt in it. If it is low on salt, this can cause it to dump
any water in the tank and refill it again and again. If you have recently lost power, check to make sure that your softener has
not reset it self to its manufacturer settings. Both of these can be potential water wasters!
6. If you still can not figure out what is leaking, it may be a good time to call in a professional plumber!
Reminder - Your water meter is located inside your home either in a utility area or in a crawl space. These meters are not located outside your home!
Water Conservation Tips