Potential Causes of High Utility Bills

• A leaking toilet, or a toilet that continues to run after being flushed
• A dripping faucet; a faucet drip can waste 20 gallons or more of water a day
• Filling or topping off a swimming pool
• Watering the lawn, garden, new grass, or trees; also check for an open hose bib
• Irrigation systems, check automated systems, you may need to reprogram
• Kids home for summer vacations, school holidays or guests visiting
• A broken water pipe or obvious leak; check the pipes and water heater in the basement or crawlspace
• Running the water to avoid freezing water pipes during cold weather
• Service line leaks between your water meter and your home, check for wet spots in your yard

Generally, water consumption is higher during the summer due to watering of lawns, pools, and gardening. Typically, an average family of four uses 4,000-5,000 gallons (535-668 cubic ft) of water a month.
 

I am billed per 100 cubic feet. How much water is that?

One cubic foot of water is equivalent to 7.48 gallons. 100 cubic feet would equal 748 gallons. 
 

Do-It-Yourself Toilet Assessment

First check for the most common leak: a deteriorated of defected flush valve (flapper) ball at the bottom of the toilet tank. If it does not make a tight seal, water will leak into the toilet bowl. To check for this:

1. Take the lid off the tank behind the bowl, flush the toilet, then wait for it to fully refill.
2. Put a few drops of food coloring or a colored dye tablet in the tank.
3. Wait at least 20 minutes; longer if suspect it is a small leak.
4. If there is any color in the toilet bowl, there is a leak.

The second most common type of leak has to do with an improperly adjusted or broken fill (ballcock) valve. To check for this, take the lid off of the toilet tank, flush, and see if water is draining into the overflow tubes when the tank is full.

The following table shows the amount of water that can be lost and billed to your account for various size leaks:

What Can I Do if My Bill is Unusually 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. If the meter reading is rechecked and found to be accurate, you may need to contact a plumber or other professional for help. Account holder is responsible for all private service water lines from the public water main to the residence and leaks inside the home.