How much water do we use?
Common Causes of High Usage
- A leaking toilet, or a toilet that continues to run after being flushed
- A dripping faucet
- Filling or topping off a swimming pool or hot tub
- Watering the lawn, new grass, or trees; also check for an open hose spigot
- Humidifiers attached to the furnace that are improperly adjusted or not working correctly
- Sump pumps that have water powered back up
- Kids home for summer vacations or school holidays; guests
- Water-cooled air conditioners
- A broken water pipe or obvious leak; check the pipes in the basement or crawlspace; the water heater could also be leaking
- Water softener problems – cycles continuously\
- Running the water to avoid freezing water pipes during cold weather
What should I do if my bill is abnormally high?
If you receive a bill that you feel is too high, check over the common causes listed above. This may help to pinpoint the source of the high bill. Most often, the City’s utility billing software will detect unusually high bills, and Service Department staff will re-check the meter reading. If the meter reading is found to be accurate and you do not feel that the high use was intentional, you may need to contact a plumber or other professional services to help determine the source of a leak. Property owners are responsible for all private service water lines from the public water main to the residence and for leaks inside the home.
Leak Table
| Leak Size |
Gallons Per Day |
Gallons Per Month |
| A dripping leak consumes: |
15 gallons |
450 gallons |
| A 1/32-inch leak consumes: |
264 gallons |
7,920 gallons |
| A 1/16-inch leak consumes: |
934 gallons |
28,300 gallons |
| A 1/8-inch leak consumes: |
3,806 gallons |
114,200 gallons |
| A 1/4-inch leak consumes: |
15,226 gallons |
456,800 gallons |
| A 1/2-inch leak consumes: |
60,900 gallons |
1,827,000 gallons |