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Customer Services
Detect A Water Leak
How to Find Your Leak
Undetected leaks can be costly. If you think you may have a water leak, your water meter is your best detective to help you find it:
- Turn off all faucets and water-using appliances, such as the dish and clothes washers.
- Locate your water meter and lift the cover to see the meter dial.
- Note the position of the sweep hand, or use a marker on the lens cover.
- Wait 20-30 minutes and check the sweep hand location again. If the sweep hand has moved, you possibly could have a leak somewhere in your system.
- Most meters have a red "telltale" indicator. If you see it moving when all water is off, you possibly could have a leak.
Looking For Leaks
- Your toilet may have a silent leak. Drop a little food coloring into the tank. Wait about 10 minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, you have a leak. Take a look at our Even You Can Fix A Leaky Toilet Brochure (PDF).
- Check for moist spots around and under the house plumbing and around outdoor plumbing.
- Replace worn washers in faucets and showerheads. Even a small drip can waste as much as 170 gallons of water each day, or 5,000 gallons per month. Take a look at our Even You Can Fix A Leaky Faucet Brochure (PDF).
- Ask TVWD for a leak kit. This kit contains a drip gauge (to measure water wasted from a leaky faucet), dye tablets (to check for a leaky toilet), a TVWD “Billing Adjustment Policy” (explains procedures and adjustments customers may receive after repairing a leak), a TVWD “Billing Adjustment Request Form” (used to apply for a water loss adjustment), and Meter Reading and Water Conservation Tips. E-mail TVWD or call (503) 848-3056 to receive this kit.
Shutting Off Your Water
You may need to shut off your water to repair a leak. We have information to help you shut off your water.
Water Leak Bill Adjustment
Did you recently repair a water leak? If so, you may be eligible for a partial billing adjustment for water use compared to the same period last year if all leaks are repaired within 30 days of discovery.
