Find and Fix Leaks

1. Stop using water
Turn off all water inside and outside your home. Don't forget your icemaker, irrigation and pool pump.

2. Find your meter
Look for a concrete lid with a smaller lid in the middle. If you need assistance, call us at 619-466-0585 during business hours. Remove the lid with a screwdriver and look for spiders and snakes before reaching in. Open the meter’s hinged lid and wipe off the display.

3. Do a leak test
There are two ways to test for leaks. One option is to check the low flow indicator -- a small, round, red or blue piece just left of and a little above the center of the meter display. If it's spinning, you may have a leak. Another option is to take a photo of the meter display, wait an hour, and take another photo. If the red sweep hand has moved, you may have a leak.

1. Stop using water

Turn off all water inside and outside your home. Don’t forget your icemaker, irrigation and pool pump.

2. Find your meter
Look for a concrete lid with a smaller lid in the middle. If you need assistance, call us at 619-466-0585 during business hours. Remove the lid with a screwdriver and look for spiders and snakes before reaching in. Wipe off the digital display.

3. Do a leak test
Screen A  (below) shows your water consumption

If water is flowing through the meter - animated line segments appear. If you are not using water, the animated line segments may indicate a water leak on your property. 

Screen B (below) shows your flow rate
This screen shows how much water is flowing through the meter in gallons per minute (GPM). Here are some common flow rates for reference:

• 0.01 to 0.05 GPM / dribbling hose bib or leaking toilet
• 2.5 to 3.0 GPM / faucet
• 2.0 to 5.0 GPM / shower
• 4.0 to 5.0 GPM / washing machine
• 2.0 to 2.5 GPM / one sprinkler head

Flow monitoring devices, sync with your smartphone and alert you when there is high water consumption or continuous water flow on your property. These devices are the best protection available against undiscovered leaks running up your water bill and we offer a rebate!

There are two types of devices
External devices strap on to your water meter with velcro or zip ties, but cannot shut your water off when a large leak occurs. Inline devices automatically shut off your water when they detect a leak, but they cost more, and you need a plumber to install one.

Where to install it
If you have an irrigation system, we recommend installing your smart leak detector at your water meter or on your water service line before the point where your irrigation line takes off. This way, your device can measure how much water you use for irrigation and alert you to faulty irrigation programming, broken sprinklers or a hose that was not turned off. 

Recommended installation

Alternate Installation

Find your main water shutoff valve -- see diagram below. It's located where the water line enters your home or building. These valves are most commonly located along the perimeter of the house or in the garage. With the valve closed, check the water meter. If the meter stops moving, the leak is after the shutoff valve -- inside your home or building.

If the meter continues moving after closing the main shutoff valve, the leak is outdoors.

Place toilet dye tablets or food coloring inside your toilet tanks and wait 10 minutes. If the dye shows up in a toilet bowl, you have a toilet leak. The most common causes of toilet leaks are the flapper or the fill valve failing to close. If either does not close, the toilet will keep refilling with water.

Walk your property. Look for wet ground, which can indicate a broken irrigation pipe, and look for water running from sprinkler heads, which can indicate a broken irrigation valve. Check hose bibs, too, to be sure they are turned all the way off.

Check the autofill valve
The autofill valve on a pool works just like a toilet’s fill valve. Autofill valves that stick and don't close are a common source of high water use. If your pool has an autofill valve, check to see if it is functioning correctly.

Check for pool leaks
Not only do pool leaks waste water, but they can also cause significant damage. Fortunately, there is an easy way to check for pool leaks -- watch this video to learn how to do the bucket test.