Leaks & High Water Bills

Unexpected high water bills are often caused by leaks. According to the U.S. EPA, leaks waste more than 10,000 gallons of water in the average household each year – enough to do 270 loads of laundry. If your water usage is higher than anticipated, follow these steps to determine if a leak is the cause of the problem.

Tip #1: Use AquaHawk to see if your property is continuously using water

AquaHawk is a free service available to all DSRSD customers that will allow you to see your property’s water usage hour by hour. If your property is showing steady, continuous water use on an hourly basis, even through the night, you may have a leak.

Note: It takes 12 hours for your property’s meter to send its hourly water usage reads to the AquaHawk portal and Dublin San Ramon Services District. Dublin San Ramon Services District staff cannot view how much water your property used during this delay window.

View AquaHawk Examples

Tip #2: Look for common signs of leaks

AquaHawk can be a helpful tool to determine if your property could have a leak. However, the system cannot guarantee that there is a leak and it cannot pinpoint where leaks are located.

If your AquaHawk account is showing steady, continuous water use, Dublin San Ramon Services District recommends inspecting your property for the most common signs of leaks. Use this checklist to look for leaks inside and outside of your home:

Signs of Leaks Inside your Home

Toilets

Put a toilet dye tab or a few drops of food coloring into the tank at the back of the toilet and let it sit for 10 minutes. If color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak and need to replace your toilet valve (the rubber seal in the back of the toilet tank). Make sure to flush a few times after your test to prevent stains to the bowl! DSRSD offers toilet dye tabs to its customers at no charge.

If the toilet tank's water fill level is set too high, excess water can trickle out from the tank's overflow tube to the sewer without your knowledge. If you observe water filling above the overflow tube, DSRSD recommends contacting a licensed plumber to help you make the necessary adjustments.

If you still suspect that a toilet is the source of your leak, you can temporarily turn off the T-stop valve at the base of the toilet and use your AquaHawk Customer Portal account to verify if the 24/7 water consumption is resolved. Please allow 24 hours for AquaHawk data to refresh.

Faucets

Listen for drips and tighten aerators or replace fixtures if necessary. DSRSD offers new kitchen and bathroom aerators to customers at no charge.

Showerheads

Turn on and look for drips or stray sprays that can be stopped with thread sealant tape. DSRSD also offers new showerheads to customers at no charge.

Under Sinks

Check for pooling water under pipes and rust around joints and edges.

Bathtubs

Turn on the bathtub faucet and then switch to the showerhead. If there is still water coming out of the bathtub faucet, it could mean the tub spout diverter needs to be replaced.

Appliances

Check for pooling water underneath dishwashers, refrigerators with ice makers, and laundry machines. This could mean you have a supply line leak.

Water Heater

Check beneath the tank for pooling water, rust, or other signs of leakage.

Throughout the House

Check for signs of moisture or mold on your walls, ceilings, and floors. This could indicate that a pipe is wreaking havoc behind the scenes and requires professional attention.

Signs of Leaks Outside Your Home

Tip #3: Still can't find any leaks? Check your water meter

If your AquaHawk account is showing steady, continuous water use, but you cannot find any common signs of a leak, Dublin San Ramon Services District recommends using your water meter to determine if the continuous water use is coming from inside or outside of the building. This information will help you know if you need to contact a plumber, landscaper, leak detection company, or your Homeowners Association (HOA) to assist you with the issue.

Follow these steps to determine if your continuous water use is coming from inside or outside of the building:

Step 1: Ensure no water is being used on your property

Step 2: Locate your property’s shut-off valves

Most residential homes have two valves that control the flow of water into the property. The main shut-off valve controls water flowing into the indoor plumbing system, while the irrigation shut-off valve controls water flowing to the irrigation system. If your property has a pool, you may also have a separate pool autofill shut-off valve.

Shut-off valves are typically located in the front yard by the hose bib, but some are located on the side of the home or in the garage.

Step 3: Locate and open your water meter box

Your water meter measures how much water your property is using in real-time. Your meter is inside of an 18” x 12” grey box that is labeled “WATER” at the front of the property near or in the sidewalk.

Once you locate the meter box, you will need a long-handled tool such as a screwdriver to insert into the lid’s hole to provide leverage to open it. Lift the lid carefully and slowly. There are wires attached to the inside of the lid that must remain attached.

Note: If you open the meter box and discover a pool of water inside, please contact Dublin San Ramon Services District at customerservice@dsrsd.com or (925) 828-8524. Pooling water could indicate a leaking meter and should be inspected by a Dublin San Ramon Services District field technician.

Step 4: Find the flow rate display screen

You will see the water meter inside of the meter box. Lift the lid up to expose its digital screen.

This digital display has multiple screens, which you can switch between by repeatedly opening and closing the lid. Open and close the lid until the display shows “FL”. FL stands for flow rate, and it will show how many gallons of water per minute are flowing into your property.

Note: If the screen is blank, close the lid and open it again to “wake it up”. If you are having issues switching between screens, you may not be closing the lid fully. Make sure that the magnet on the back side of the lid is fully touching the base.

Step 5: Close your property’s shut-off valves one at a time

First, close your property’s main shut-off valve and return to the meter box. If the flow rate stops, the continuous water use is likely originating from inside the building. You may want to consider hiring a plumber or leak detection specialist to determine if there is a leak.

If your flow rate doesn’t stop, close the irrigation valve. If the flow rate stops, this means the continuous water use is likely originating from the irrigation system. You may want to consider hiring a landscaper or irrigation specialist to determine if there is a leak.

Note: If you have closed all your property’s valves and the flow rate never stops, this could mean that there is a leak in your home’s water service line. This may require you to hire a leak detection specialist to determine if the pipe needs to be repaired or replaced.

Hiring a Professional

If your plumber or leak detection specialist needs to turn off your water at the meter to make repairs, you must contact Dublin San Ramon Services District at (925) 828-8524 Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Only District employees can shut off the water at the meter box. If you (or your designee) damage the meter or curb stop, you will be held responsible for the cost of repairs or replacement.

Contact Us

If you have any additional questions, please contact Dublin San Ramon Services District at customerservice@dsrsd.com or (925) 828-8524, Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. For after-hours emergencies, please contact Alameda County Sheriff Dispatch at (510) 667-7721.

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