Leaks & High Water Bills

No leak: In the course of a day, you’ll see times when there is no water use at all.

Potential leak: You'll see continuous water use, even through the night.

Toilets

Put a toilet dye tab or a few drops of food coloring into the tank at the back of the toilet and let it sit for 10 minutes. If color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak and need to replace your toilet valve (the rubber seal in the back of the toilet tank). Make sure to flush a few times after your test to prevent stains to the bowl!  DSRSD offers toilet dye tabs to its customers at no charge.

If the toilet tank's water fill level is set too high, excess water can trickle out from the tank's overflow tube to the sewer without your knowledge. If you observe water filling above the overflow tube, DSRSD recommends contacting a licensed plumber to help you make the necessary adjustments.

If you still suspect that a toilet is the source of your leak, you can temporarily turn off the T-stop valve at the base of the toilet and use your AquaHawk Customer Portal account to verify if the 24/7 water consumption is resolved. Please allow 24 hours for AquaHawk data to refresh.

Faucets

Listen for drips and tighten aerators or replace fixtures if necessary. DSRSD offers new kitchen and bathroom aerators to customers at no charge.

Showerheads

Turn on and look for drips or stray sprays that can be stopped with thread sealant tape. DSRSD also offers new showerheads to customers at no charge.

Under Sinks

Check for pooling water under pipes and rust around joints and edges.

Bathtubs

Turn on the bathtub faucet and then switch to the showerhead. If there is still water coming out of the bathtub faucet, it could mean the tub spout diverter needs to be replaced.

Appliances

Check for pooling water underneath dishwashers, refrigerators with ice makers, and laundry machines. This could mean you have a supply line leak.

Water Heater

Check beneath the tank for pooling water, rust, or other signs of leakage.

Throughout the House

Check for signs of moisture or mold on your walls, ceilings, and floors. This could indicate that a pipe is wreaking havoc behind the scenes and requires professional attention.

Spigots

Ensure tight connections with the hose and see if the hose washer needs replacing.

Irrigation System

Check each sprinkler head for clogs, obstructions, overspray, tilting, and leaks. Look for any muddy areas in the yard.

Pools

If your swimming pool is losing more than two inches of water per week, you may have a leak.

Make sure that no water is being used inside or outside of the building (examples: irrigation system is off, dishwasher is not running, backyard pool is not auto-filling, water softener system is turned off, etc.)

Most residential homes have two valves that control the flow of water into the property. The main shut-off valve controls water flowing into the indoor plumbing system, while the irrigation shut-off valve controls water flowing to the irrigation system. If your property has a pool, you may also have a separate pool autofill shut-off valve.

Shut-off valves are typically located in the front yard by the hose bib, but some are located on the side of the home or in the garage.

Your water meter measures how much water your property is using in real-time. Your meter is inside of an 18” x 12” grey box that is labeled “WATER” at the front of the property near or in the sidewalk.

Once you locate the meter box, you will need a long-handled tool such as a screwdriver to insert into the lid’s hole to provide leverage to open it. Lift the lid carefully and slowly. There are wires attached to the inside of the lid that must remain attached.

Note: If you open the meter box and discover a pool of water inside, please contact Dublin San Ramon Services District at customerservice@dsrsd.com or (925) 828-8524. Pooling water could indicate a leaking meter and should be inspected by a Dublin San Ramon Services District field technician.

You will see the water meter inside of the meter box. Lift the lid up to expose its digital screen.

This digital display has multiple screens, which you can switch between by repeatedly opening and closing the lid. Open and close the lid until the display shows “FL”. FL stands for flow rate, and it will show how many gallons of water per minute are flowing into your property.

Note: If the screen is blank, close the lid and open it again to “wake it up”. If you are having issues switching between screens, you may not be closing the lid fully. Make sure that the magnet on the back side of the lid is fully touching the base.

First, close your property’s main shut-off valve and return to the meter box. If the flow rate stops, the continuous water use is likely originating from inside the building. You may want to consider hiring a plumber or leak detection specialist to determine if there is a leak.

If your flow rate doesn’t stop, close the irrigation valve. If the flow rate stops, this means the continuous water use is likely originating from the irrigation system. You may want to consider hiring a landscaper or irrigation specialist to determine if there is a leak.

Note: If you have closed all your property’s valves and the flow rate never stops, this could mean that there is a leak in your home’s water service line. This may require you to hire a leak detection specialist to determine if the pipe needs to be repaired or replaced.