An unusually high water bill is typically caused by a change in water use or a leak.
Did you have house guests, water your lawn more than usual, or do anything else out of the ordinary that uses a lot of water?
Check For Leaks
- Toilets. A running toilet can silently waste up to 200 gallons a day. To check for a leak, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If color appears in the bowl , you have a leak. Check/replace the flapper valve. Flush to prevent the food coloring from staining the tank.
- Check indoor and outdoor faucets.
- Check sprinkler heads.
- Check your water service line (the pipe between your water meter and house). Look for wet spots in your yard. Turn off the supply to your house by closing the shut-off valve (typically located in the ground near an outdoor spigot in line with your water meter). Check your water meter. If water is flowing, that may indicate a leak between the meter and your shut-off valve.
Use Your Meter to Detect a Leak
Turn off all water fixtures inside and outside your home, then check the meter. If it registers water movement, that means water is being used somewhere, and you may have a leak.