Water Leaks

Who hasn’t had a leak at one time or another? Leaks in the bathroom and kitchen are common. Large or small, all leaks waste one of our most valuable resources.

Knowing where to look for leaks can help save water and lower your monthly bills. Some of the common leaks can be found in the following areas of your home.

Toilets
The majority of residential water leaks do occur in the toilet. The most common causes of a leaking toilet are:

1. Flapper valve stuck in open position.
2. Worn flapper not allowing for proper seal.
3. Misaligned chain.
4. Tank float or level adjustment allows water running into the overflow tube.

To check for a leak in the toilet there are two easy ways to accomplish this. Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank, wait 15 minutes and check the water in the bowl for the dye color. Toho Water Authority has specially designed dye test tablets that can be used in a similar manner. These dye tablets are available upon request.

If the flapper needs to be replaced, be sure to obtain a flapper that will provide a tight seal. Replacement cost is about $10 and includes instructions.

The level of the water in your toilet tank should be at least one inch (1”) below the top of the overflow pipe. If the level is too high, adjust the float ball and recheck the water level.

Faucets
Leaking faucets can be another water waster. But leaking faucets can generally be easily repaired. Many “how to” courses or step-by-step instructional materials are offered at local hardware centers. Also consider installing low flow aerators on all faucets in the kitchen and bathroom. Low flow aerators can save water thus producing a cost savings on your monthly bill.

Irrigation System
Broken sprinkler heads or damaged underground pipes are common sources of leaks in irrigation systems. Check your irrigation system at least once each month for broken heads, and especially wet areas for possible underground leaks or timer malfunctions. Lightning from thunderstorms can cause an automatic timer to malfunction.

If you have checked your system and feel your water bill for irrigation is too high, please contact our offices to schedule an appointment for a FREE on site evaluation.

Check Out Your Water Meter
Use your water meter to check for water leaks. A leak can be detected not only by the excessive consumption registering on your meter but also your meter is equipped with a leak indicator on the dial. To check your water meter observe the red triangle on the dial of the meter; if this triangle is moving and no water is being consumed, you may have a leak. If you have checked all the obvious places, you may consider calling a licensed plumber to check for underground leaks.

Other sources of leaks

• Solar Panels
• Automatic Pool Fill System
• Water Softener Backwash
• Leak under Concrete Slab

How to Read Your Water Meter
Each customer of Toho Water Authority has one or more water meters. A water meter measures the amount of water in gallons which passes through the meter. Toho Water Authority bills for water use in thousand gallon increments. However, the meter dial will measure water to every gallon used.

Locating the Water Meter
Most meters are located in the front of the property at the property line near the sidewalk. However, occasionally some meters are located at the rear or side of a property. If you are unable to locate your meter, please contact Toho Water Authority and a technician will meet with you to assist you in the location of your meter.

To verify that the water meter located serves your property, you may compare the number located on the top of the water meter with the meter number on your monthly bill.

Reading Your Water Meter
Upon location of your water meter you may use the following directions to easily read your meter.

• All residential meters have seven (7) digits on the meter dial.
• You will notice a set of four numbers with a white background and a set of three numbers with a black background.
• The last digit with the black background is stationary and will not ever move. This digit represents gallons 1-9 of usage which is measured by the speedometer type and indicator which moves around the dial.
• For each turn of the numbers with a black background ten gallons of water has passed through the meter.
• The second digit (moveable) with black background indicates tens of gallons and the third indicates hundreds of gallons.
• The numbers with a white background from right to left are thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands, and millions of gallons respectively.
• The meter is read across from left to right.

Determine Your Usage
Use the following example to help read your water meter.

Choose a time to take an initial read (in early morning or late evening). Write down the numbers you see on the meter dial.

Example: 0007600

After one or more days read the meter again at approximately the same time of the day.

Example: 0007900

Subtract the first reading from the second reading. This is your water usage for the period of time.

Example: 0007600-0007900 = 300

The 300 represents gallons of water used during the time period between the two readings.