High Bills
If you are experiencing high water bills you may want to check around the household for possible leaks. To check the water meter for movement you will need to locate the meter near the curb in front of the house or place of business. It is in the ground housed in a concrete box. Carefully remove lid so as not to cut the wire to the touch read metering system. Visually examine the area around the meter to ensure your safety (Black Widow Spiders are known to nest in meter boxes). The little triangle on the face of the meter is a low flow indicator. It will rotate with even a very low flow through the meter. To check for leaks, turn off all known water uses inside and outside the house. If you have an automatic icemaker, make sure it is not operating. When all water is turned off, the low flow indicator should not move.
If the low flow indicator is moving, there is water flowing somewhere on your property. Turn off the water shut-off valve (usually located where the waterline enters the house). If the low flow indicator is still moving the water service line or your meter is leaking. If the low flow indicator stops moving with the water valve off, water was flowing inside the house (this could be a toilet leak, a leaky pipe, or any number of problems).
When you have finished reading the meter, carefully replace the meter box cover. Dripping faucets and leaking toilets are more than a nuisance. They waste water and cost you Money! Research shows that a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day.
Madison Utilities knows you are concerned about the cost of your utility bill as well as water conservation, and one of the best things you can do is find and fix any household leaks you may have.
Start with the Toilet
Toilets are the most common source of leaks.
First:
Put a dye tablet or several drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Wait 15 minutes. Do not flush the toilet during this time. If colored water appears in the toilet bowl, you have a leak from the tank into the bowl!
The flapper (or tank ball in some older toilets) prevents this from happening. If the valve is caked with mineral deposits, it can leak. Replace the flapper or tank ball, which can be purchased at a local hardware store.
Second:
Sprinkle a small amount of talcum powder on top of the water in the tank. If this powder moves toward the overflow tube, you probably have an overflow leak. Gently bend the float arm down to shut off the valve before water spills into the tube, or replace the float valve. If your toilet won’t shut off, or whistles or whines after adjusting the float ball, you may need replace the ball cock assembly. This assembly can be purchased at a local hardware store.
Fixing Faucets
The most common cause of a leaking faucet is a worn washer or o-ring.
Turn off water supply to faucet.
Remove decorative cover and handle.
Remove collar or locknut.
Take out stem.
Change worn washer or o-ring.
Replacement kits are available at local hardware stores.
Reverse the process to reassemble faucet.
Turn on water supply.
We recognize there are circumstances, which result in the unintended high usage of water. Leaks are often silent or invisible. Although detection and service of leaks on the property and / or property owner’s side of the meter is the responsibility of the customer, our experienced Meter Specialists are ready and willing to help in determining if you have a leak.
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If you have a leak or any other problem that needs our attention, please contact us.
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