Main Water Line Leak: Signs and How to Check Your Water Meter

• A water bill that rises with no change in how much water you use
• Low or fluctuating water pressure
• The sound of running water when no fixture is on
• Wet, soggy or unusually green patches of ground, or pooling water, along the path of the line
• A water meter that moves when everything is off
• Cracks or settling near the foundation in severe, long-running leaks

1. Turn off every fixture and appliance that uses water, including the ice maker, irrigation and any running toilets.
2. Find the water meter, usually in a box near the street or property line, and lift the lid carefully.
3. Look at the leak indicator, a small triangle or dial, or note the meter reading.
4. If the indicator spins or the reading changes after fifteen minutes or so with everything off, water is escaping somewhere.
5. Close the main valve at the house and check again: if the meter stops, the leak is inside the building; if it keeps moving, it is likely in the buried line between the meter and the house.

• Aging or corroded pipe
• Shifting or settling soil
• Tree roots near buried lines
• Freezing or physical damage
• High water pressure that stresses fittings and joints

In most utility districts, the property owner is responsible for the water pipe from the meter to the building, while the utility maintains its side of the meter. Check with your water provider to confirm where the boundary is for your address.

Acoustic leak detection equipment listens for water escaping a pressurized pipe, which pinpoints where to dig, and video inspection helps rule out other causes. Once the leak is located, a short section can often be repaired; badly aged pipe may need a longer run replaced. See main water line leak detection and repair.