A water bill that suddenly doubles, with no new pool, guests or garden, almost always means water is going somewhere you can't see. One caller described it as "almost triple the water usage." Before assuming a slab leak, check in this order. Each step is quicker than the next.
1. Compare the reading
Look at the usage on the bill, not just the amount. Rates change. Usage shouldn't jump without a reason. Compare with the same month last year.
2. Run the meter test
Turn off all water and watch the leak indicator on the meter. If it doesn't move, there's no active leak right now, and the spike may have been a temporary cause, like an irrigation valve that stuck and then closed. If it does move, keep going. Full steps: the water meter leak test.
3. Toilets
A leaking flapper is the most common cause of a high bill. Put food coloring in each tank and wait fifteen minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl means a leak. A toilet that runs on its own every so often is another giveaway.
4. Irrigation
Look for soggy patches, water running down the gutter, or a valve box that's full of water. Run each zone and watch for broken heads. Irrigation leaks can use a surprising amount of water because they often run unseen at night.
5. Appliances and fixtures
Check the water heater's relief valve drain line, the softener, the ice maker line, outdoor hose bibs and any pool autofill.
6. The service line
Close the house's main shutoff and recheck the meter. If the indicator still moves, the leak is between the meter and the house, under the yard or driveway. That's a water line leak, not a slab leak.
7. The slab
If the meter stops with the house valve closed, and nothing in steps 3 to 5 explains it, the leak is inside the house's plumbing and out of sight. With no stains on walls or ceilings, the slab is the likely place. Check for a warm floor spot or a running-water sound, then see slab leak detection.
Westminster billing notes
Westminster's water comes from the City of Westminster Water Division, a blend of imported water and groundwater from local wells. The division handles billing, the meter and its side of the line. Leaks on the house side of the meter are the owner's to repair. If you're in Stanton, billing and the meter are Golden State Water's.
Keep the bills, the meter readings and the plumber's findings together. If you file an insurance claim, they help. See slab leaks and homeowners insurance.
Two more questions
Can the meter be wrong?
It happens, but rarely. Run the leak indicator test first. If the indicator doesn't move with everything off and the bill still looks wrong, ask the water utility to check the meter and the reading history.
Will the city adjust my bill for a leak?
Some utilities have leak adjustment policies and some don't. Ask your utility directly. In Westminster that's the City of Westminster Water Division's billing line.
Keep reading
- Why So Many Older Orange County Slab Houses Spring LeaksCopper under concrete, decades of hot-and-cold cycling, and water chemistry: what's behind slab leaks in older OC houses.
- Your Under-Slab Drain Lines Failed a Hydrostatic Test. Now What?What a failed drain-line pressure test means, how the leak is found with a camera, and the repair options.