Tips for checking for a water leak:

Locate your meter. There is a sweep hand or triangle on the meter that only moves when water is moving through the meter. If this moves while water is off, you have some form of a leak in your home water system. To determine if the leak is in your home, plumbing or the service line, turn off the main water shut off for the house. If  movement continues, the leak is in your service line. If it stops, it’s in the home plumbing system.

Make sure no water is running inside or outside your home.

The most common leak is in toilets and cannot always be heard. To check your toilet for leaks, put drops of food coloring in the tank and wait several minutes without flushing the toilet. If color appears in the bowl without flushing, you are loosing water and need to make a repair. The most common type of toilet leak is a faulty flapper valve.

Check inside and out for any faucets that drip or have leaks around the handles.

Look for soggy spots or areas that are greener than the rest of your lawn, or near trees where the tree roots could damage your water line. Surprisingly, yellow spots in the lawn can also indicate a leak, as grass can drown if the ground gets too soggy.

Listen for running water in your piping. A stethoscope can be used for this.

SAWC is responsible for the water lines up to the discharge side of the water meter. All piping after the discharge side of the meter is the responsibility of the homeowner. The homeowner may also be held responsible for damage to the meter box that occurs as the result of a lack of reasonable care. Specifically, meter boxes are not designed to be driven on and if damage occurs as a result of this, the homeowner will be charged the cost of replacement. Any leak from the meter to the house is the homeowner’s responsibility. SAWC is not liable for any damage or injury whatsoever for leaking or the running of water on the premises from pipelines, plumbing fixtures, open faucets, valves, fixtures and hoses beyond SAWC’s service meter.

Customer is responsible for the proper maintenance and repair of their own lines, stop and waste valves, gate valves and plumbing fixtures within their own premises. Leak adjustments are available for water lost as a result of a line break. Excessive use from open taps, valves or hoses is not eligible for a leak adjustment.

The Portland Water Bureau is a great resource for more detailed information about water conservation:

Leak Detection
Water Efficiency Indoors
Water Efficiency Outdoors

If you need assistance locating or checking your meter, please call 503-819-0685 or email skyviewacreswater@gmail.com