Kathryn Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 What do you do? Do I contact the water company? A plumber? Our bill is usually around $70. Last month it was $110. I was worried, but thought *maybe* we'd done something to push it up. This month it was $140. That includes a week of no water use at all due to the flooding we had. Either the meter is very messed up or there's a leak somewhere we can't find. Nothing in the house or under the house looks wet. What do we do? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I would call a plumber or a leak detection company. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 We read the meter every single day, to see if there was a pattern. We had just watered our garden WAY too much! :-) About a year ago, they had mis-read our meter, and came back out & re-read it correctly. Another time, we shut everything down that used water, to see if we could zero out the meter for a few hours. Or you can shut off the water main & see if you can get the meter to stop. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Have you put dye in the toilet tanks to see if there is a constant, slow leak? We had that happen once and it uses a shocking amount of water. Also, make sure they haven't just raised the prices. Our city has a new tax so our bill went up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 What do you do? Do I contact the water company? A plumber? Our bill is usually around $70. Last month it was $110. I was worried, but thought *maybe* we'd done something to push it up. This month it was $140. That includes a week of no water use at all due to the flooding we had. Either the meter is very messed up or there's a leak somewhere we can't find. Nothing in the house or under the house looks wet. What do we do? Probably call a plumber. Ours was a leak in a pipe near the shower wall that would have done lots of damage if it wasn't dealt with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 I looked at the bills for the past year wondering if maybe the price had gone way up, but it's the amount of water being used that's gone up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Does anyone remember the huge water bill that someone here was getting years ago and it turned out their neighbors were using their water to keep their (the neighbors') lawn green during a drought when the water rates were really high? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Does anyone remember the huge water bill that someone here was getting years ago and it turned out their neighbors were using their water to keep their (the neighbors') lawn green during a drought when the water rates were really high? I remember that! And weren't their neighbors incredibly unrepentant when they were found out??!! That was a bizarre story.. Anne 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I had that issue and it turned out that it was builders/painters in the area choosing my faucet to rinse off their brushes and stuff. My water company wouldn't do anything and the construction company said to me basically "prove it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 My mom did have a leak that was eventually found after she received a huge water bill. The water company wrote it off after she made several requests. Our town raises water rates for the summer months. :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 My SIL had a leak outside the house in the underground pipes on her property leading to her house. They had to bring someone yo dig up the yard and replace the pipes. Very expensive. i guess tree roots had damaged it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I would call a plumber or a leak detection company. I would do so, as well. We just ran into this, and I blew it off the first month; "Maybe dh had to fill up the pool or something." But the second month, ay ay ay--and it was a water leak. And THAT's $10,000 I'll never see again. Bleah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 We just jumped from using less than 4000 gal to 12000. If it happens again, we will be doing more in depth checking. We did just have the house power washed and painted. I am hoping that was the cause. It would certainly have been an increase. I just don't really see it being that much more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 In our small town, we can call the water department and they come and check some things out- I can't tell you exactly what they check but I know one person who had to dig up and replace pipes outside because a root had breached a pipe. The water company helped them determine it was an outside leak but the homeowner had to pay someone to locate and fix it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 In our small town, we can call the water department and they come and check some things out- I can't tell you exactly what they check but I know one person who had to dig up and replace pipes outside because a root had breached a pipe. The water company helped them determine it was an outside leak but the homeowner had to pay someone to locate and fix it. This is the way it worked for us too; sorry--earlier I recommended calling a plumber...but the City came out (like the next DAY) and confirmed the leak and so on but we had to call the fix-it company and pay that bill. The City did all the spray painting to show where the lines ran and so on. That cost us nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I would start with the water department. If nothing else they'll check to make sure your meter is working properly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 I thought you were going to show the cat video of the cat flushing the toilet. over. and over. and over. and over . . . you get the idea. the cat thought it was great entertainment. they learned to close the bathroom door. not seeing anything wet doesn't mean much. first. turn the water off where it comes in the house - if the meter is still spining, - it is between the meter and the house. if the meter stopped - you may need to start looking in walls, under all sinks at their pipes, every pipe you have any access to. pipes in the crawl space. poke at the plasterboard (including in ceilings if there are pipes above it - it might look dry, but be damp. if you still can't find it - I'd call a plumber. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 We called the water company. They came out, tested the line, found the leak, and gave us a break on the previous high bills once we showed them a repair bill. But this was a rural small town company. Where we live now they'd tell us it was our responsibility to determine if it's us or them and not only would they not reimburse for plumber they'd also not reduce the bill even if it was at the street (their responsibility), so says our neighbor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 I had this happen last month. It was a toilet. The overflow level was not correct and water was constantly going down the overflow tube. So, there was no evidence of it in the toilet bowl. It was so slow that the meter did not show constant usage, but even when we weren't using water we could see that some water was still being used after an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted October 30, 2015 Author Share Posted October 30, 2015 I just checked the meter and it's not spinning, so I'll check in the morning and then check again after an hour of not using it (good idea!) and see if there's a change. I'd do it tonight but DH is about to wash some clothes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakelly Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Turn your water off at the street and see if the meter moves. We ended up having leaky toilets (drop food coloring in the tank and wait to see if the color comes into the bowl), and a sprinkler leak outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Turn your water off at the street and see if the meter moves. We ended up having leaky toilets (drop food coloring in the tank and wait to see if the color comes into the bowl), and a sprinkler leak outside. Where I live it's illegal to touch the street turn off. The reason is they don't want people whose water has been turned off for nonpayment to turn it back on. So they just made it illegal to touch the thing- even my plumber can't do it without calling the city and getting permission. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reflections Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Sorry, I didn't read all the replies. In three of the houses I've lived in where there was a problem it was with the meter. And once it was because it was the water company guestimating our water usage (back before everything was beamed by satellite to the office). Anytime you have a problem, ask them about it. They'll do a "search" - they'll test the water line and they'll test the meter. The last time I had them do this it dropped my bill by $20. And I have heard that sometimes neighbors steal water from neighbors... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakelly Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Annie G. - I meant the little x shaped handle that should be in a box near their driveway or sidewalk. My dh just turned ours off for a few minutes to fix a leaky sink. It's definitely not illegal to turn if off here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Annie G. - I meant the little x shaped handle that should be in a box near their driveway or sidewalk. My dh just turned ours off for a few minutes to fix a leaky sink. It's definitely not illegal to turn if off here. Yeah, that's the one I meant, too. Our town is weird I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Look in the box in your yard where you turn off your water. We had a leak in ours. When we opened the box, water was gushing through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 You should have a shut off valve inside your house. Turn that off and make sure the meter doesn't run. We had a leak in the main water line between the street and our house. It was a little higher one month and then skyrocketed the next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 We read the meter every single day, to see if there was a pattern. We had just watered our garden WAY too much! :-) About a year ago, they had mis-read our meter, and came back out & re-read it correctly This was our issue too. I assumed an incorrect reading. Check for that first. Take a meter reading. Then switch off all water, and make sure no bath or toilet is filling or used for an hour. Read the meter again. If it doesn't change at all (and ours didn't) it's probably you. In our case my dh's devotion to the two olive trees were costing us. Those ended up being some very expensive olives! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Yeah, that's the one I meant, too. Our town is weird I guess. Not weird. It is illegal here too. Even plumbers cannot touch them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 I looked at the bills for the past year wondering if maybe the price had gone way up, but it's the amount of water being used that's gone up. I'm glad you checked that. I had a surprise rate change.... I had a significantly bigger bill and it turned out the rates had changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 1 or 2 years ago, our water company replaced our water meter, with a new "high tech" water meter. The man showed me how to use it, if we suspect a leak. He had me confirm that all water faucets in the house were turned off. The new water meter has a little gizmo on it that moves, if there is any water consumption. There wasn't any movement, so we knew we did not have any leaks, as of that time. Hopefully your water company can come out and replace your water meter with one like that and test for leaks. If there are leaks on your side, you will pay for the water consumption. GL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 1 or 2 years ago, our water company replaced our water meter, with a new "high tech" water meter. The man showed me how to use it, if we suspect a leak. He had me confirm that all water faucets in the house were turned off. The new water meter has a little gizmo on it that moves, if there is any water consumption. There wasn't any movement, so we knew we did not have any leaks, as of that time. My water meter has this also. However, the toilet tank constantly refilling (not running into the toilet bowl but down the overflow tube) was not enough to detect movement; even the plumber couldn't recognize that it was moving--but after an hour the meter had slowly inched up showing water consumption. A slow, but constant leak may not be detected but is still enough to result in a high water bill (mine was $200!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted October 30, 2015 Author Share Posted October 30, 2015 Well, it appears that the boys' toilet has been flowing for hours at a time with the tank not filling. When DS heard me talking about it this morning and checking the meter (no movement even of the low flow indicator), he told me that sometimes after he flushes, when he goes back the next time an hour or two later, it's still going. Arggghhh! At least I know now and we can stop it. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Well, it appears that the boys' toilet has been flowing for hours at a time with the tank not filling. When DS heard me talking about it this morning and checking the meter (no movement even of the low flow indicator), he told me that sometimes after he flushes, when he goes back the next time an hour or two later, it's still going. Arggghhh! At least I know now and we can stop it. Yep, toilets use a shocking amount of water. Glad you found it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Glad you found it. This sort of intermittent problem is always hard to find, so glad your ds told you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TX Native Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 The water company may adjust your bill after you show them a plumber receipt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I would do so, as well. We just ran into this, and I blew it off the first month; "Maybe dh had to fill up the pool or something." But the second month, ay ay ay--and it was a water leak. And THAT's $10,000 I'll never see again. Bleah. :svengo: $10,000! That is so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Tell me about it. But it is what it is. The neighbors had the same issue. Bleach. A leaner Christmas, that's for sure--but that's not necessarily s bad thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Oh...and the water bill--usually about $40? $500. We will likely get a refund due to a city policy of forgiveness. Thankfully. And we can manage this; it's irritating, not devastating. So I am thankful for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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