You can
plug up those
water bill leaks

Leaks in your household system easily can add to high water use. Leaks can waste an amazing amount of water.

A leak of one drop per second will waste approximately 400 gallons over a two-month period or 2,400 gallons per year. Here’s a simple way to check if there’s a leak in your home.

Turn off all the water. (Don’t forget automatic water users, like icemakers.)

Go to the water meter box, usually located in or near your driveway, toward the curb.

Lift the small lid in the middle of the box. You should be able to see the register face, with a sweep hand and digital recorder.

Look for the small triangle (usually red). This "dial" is turned by water passing through the meter. It should be absolutely stationary, since all water has been turned off. If the triangle is moving, it may be a sign of a leak. Check our Web page at lvmwd.dst.ca.us for illustrations and further details on this simple leak-detection method.

Before calling the plumber, re-check to be certain everything is turned off. Also, you may want to check out your toilet, where leaks can easily go undetected.

Small leaks in toilets are the most common cause of internal water loss. The good news is, these leaks are simple to detect and usually easy to fix. Here’s how to check your toilet for leaks.

Lift the tank cover and add a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet made just for this purpose. (Remember, the toilet tank, not the bowl.)

Wait about 15 minutes, then check the bowl.

If there’s color in the bowl, there likely is a leak.

Check the flushing mechanism or contact your plumber.

Once you’ve explored these possible contributors to high water use, if the numbers just don’t add up or if you have questions, call a customer service representative at (818) 251-2200 or via e-mail at feedback@lvmwd.dst.ca.us.