High water bill leak check in Tucson, AZ

Why your Tucson water bill is suddenly high

A sudden high bill with no change in habits almost always comes from one of 3 things: a toilet that runs, an irrigation or pool system that's leaking or mis-set, or a hidden pipe leak. The first two are far more common than the third, and you can check for them yourself.

Start with the usage figure on the bill. Tucson Water bills in Ccf. One Ccf is 748 gallons.

Compare the usage with the same month last year. A rise in summer is normal with irrigation, a pool, and an evaporative cooler running. A rise in winter, or a bill that's double the same month a year ago, isn't.

Common causes of a high water bill

• Toilets. A worn flapper or a fill valve that doesn't shut off lets water run into the bowl around the clock, often silently. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait 15 minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl means the toilet is leaking.
• Irrigation. A timer reset after a power cut, a zone valve that doesn't close, or a broken line under the rock. See irrigation leak detection.
• Pool autofill. The autofill replaces whatever the pool loses, so a leaking pool shows up as a water bill problem. Turn the autofill off for a few days and watch the level. See pool leak detection.
• Evaporative cooler. A float valve that sticks open sends water down the overflow or across the roof all day. A bleed-off line set too high does the same more slowly.
• Water softener or filter. A softener stuck in its regeneration cycle sends water to the drain continuously. A reverse osmosis unit with a failed shutoff does too.
• Water heater relief valve. A relief valve that drips is often piped outside or to a drain where the drip goes unseen.
• Hose bibs and outdoor fixtures. A drip at a hose bib, a misting system left on, or an animal waterer with a stuck float.
• Hidden pipe leaks. A line under the slab or the buried service line from the meter. These leave the fewest clues and waste the most water.

Tucson Water's high bill investigation and leak adjustments

Tucson Water runs a free High Bill Investigation. After you have gone through their home leak checks, a technician can be sent to verify the meter number, check for continuous flow, inspect the meter, and leave a report. You can request it through Tucson Water customer service at 520-791-3242.

What the utility doesn't do is locate a leak on private property. Their check tells you whether water is flowing through the meter. Finding where it goes after that's up to the owner.

2 billing details make a leak in Tucson cost more than the wasted water alone:

• Sewer fees follow winter water use. Pima County recalculates each home's sewer charge every July from the average water billed in December, January, and February. A leak that runs through those months raises your sewer bill for the following 12 months, even after it's fixed. The county has an appeal process for the winter average, so ask about it if a leak fell in that window.
• Leak adjustments exist. Tucson Water offers bill adjustments for high use caused by leaks. Ask customer service what they require. Keep a record of where the leak was found and the receipt for the repair.

For a homeowner, this means a winter leak is worth chasing quickly, and the paperwork from detection and repair is worth keeping.

What we do during a high bill leak check

1. Read the meter and measure the loss. With everything off, 2 timed readings give a leak rate. We compare that with the extra usage on your bill to see whether a constant leak explains it or whether the use is intermittent.
2. Divide the property. The house valve, the irrigation shutoff, and the pool autofill are closed one at a time. Whichever one stops the meter is where the water is going.
3. Check the fixtures. Inside, toilets are dye tested, and the water heater, softener, cooler supply, and under-sink connections are inspected.
4. Test hot against cold. If the loss is in the house plumbing and no fixture explains it, closing the water heater valve shows which side is leaking.
5. Locate the leak. Once we know which system it is, the search turns into the right kind of detection: under the slab, in the service line, or inside a wall or ceiling.
6. Explain the result. You're told what is using the water, where it is, and how the measured loss compares with the bill.

Often the answer is a toilet and a cooler float. That's a good result, and we'll tell you plainly when a hardware-store part is all you need.

What affects the cost of a high water bill leak check

• How many systems the property has. House only is the simplest. A house with irrigation, a pool, a spa, and a guest house has more to separate.
• Whether shutoff valves exist and work. Without a working house valve or irrigation shutoff, dividing the property takes longer.
• Constant or intermittent use. A steady leak is measurable on the spot. Water that's only lost when a softener cycles or a zone runs takes more observation.
• Where the trail leads. If the check ends at a fixture, the job is short. If it ends at a pipe under concrete, pinpointing it's further work, and we explain that before going on.

When a high water bill points to an emergency

A high bill can have an urgent cause. Shut the water off at the main and call promptly if the meter is turning fast with everything off, if you can hear water running under the floor or in a wall, if a floor is warm or wet, or if the ground near the foundation is soft or sinking. Those signs mean a large volume of water is going into the structure or the soil under it.

Also act quickly if a single bill is several times your normal use. At that rate, every week of delay adds meaningfully to the next bill.

What to have ready before you call

• Your last 3 or 4 bills, with the usage in Ccf for each.
• The result of the meter test with everything off, and again with the house valve closed.
• The toilet dye test result for each toilet.
• A list of what is on the property: irrigation zones, pool, spa, evaporative cooler, water softener, guest house.
• Any recent changes: new landscaping, a filled pool, guests, a new appliance, plumbing or yard work.

After a leak is repaired, watch the next 2 bills. Usage should return to the level of the same months a year earlier.

If it only comes partway down, there's a second source. A high bill is the most common reason people call us for leak detection services in Tucson, AZ, and the meter test is always the first step.