re: Locating a leak. Using 17,500 gallons a month.

Got a plumber out here looking. First culprit is hot water heater line has moisture and its draining off. Not an exactly sure on specifics. Something about not sure how they got that past code.

Slow leak on two toilets also what it seems.

Had a leak in the main line from meter to house.
Not sure of gallons per month
Was easy to spot because of wet ground.
Repaired with

Interesting. I’d guess there’s some sort of check valve on the meter to only move water towards the house. If that fails I could certainly see where it’d spin the little device and jack up the usage meter.

I'm not sure. I live in the unincorporated Iowa portion. Total bill was $1,333.00. This crap is not cheap. Maybe should have just kept the high water bill.

Inspected septic
Replaced complete internals of 4 toilets
Replaced water heater lines

4 hours work. Expensive but they showed up same day which is like a miracle in LC area.

I’ve heard of water meters failing and when under pressure spinning like water is flowing, but never seen it first hand.

They’re doing the same type of work here in Jennings.

In oilfield terms your flow meter is going two directions and measuring both as flow amount cumulative. I don't proclaim to know codes but a check valve near your water meter should halt the issue.

Good luck with Jeff Davis.

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it sure as hell isnt turning into unicorns and flying away

name a single place other then a toilet that can leak water and it does straight out the drain line leaving no evidence of a leak behind?

it only takes a few seconds to shut the valve to them off and see

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We have 3 1/2 baths. I kept seeing septic sprayers come out several times a day. Went upstairs and noticed a toilet that is never used was running a bit. Figured I would fix it in the next week or so and cut the water off.

The next weekend I got the mower out and when I got to the back of our property there was water everywhere. Went looking, starting putting dye in the tanks of all the toilets... nothing. Put dye in the tank of toilet I had shut off and 2 hours later the bowl was red. The flapper was leaking AND the shut off valve was leaking.

Did both and the yard dried right up. My guess is septic sprinklers were coming on 4-5 times day. A toilet can leak big volumes in 24 hours x 7 days a week.

I am with you. Don't ever discount the volume of water that can come from a leaking toilet. You never see it.

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the "tell tale" (must be plumber term) moves forward and then reverses. They think water is being pulled back and forth by pressure from down street.

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WTF dude. i mean that makes sense i guess because the meter doesn't register flow in any specific direction.

i would think some of your neighbors would be experiencing a similar spike?

shutting off the water to your house probably stopped the 'porous' nature of this because that locked one end of the line so the pressure was constant. the venting in your house makes for a perfect 'silent' killer when they draw air so sinks and bathtubs drain and your toilets flush properly. your roof vents are probably breathing in and out as the same water comes and goes.

too bad you can't leave the water to your house shut off for a month and see which neighbor gets that 'bonus' pressure instead.

i would be PISSED if i was paying for 'ghost water' that wasn't actually being used.

i was thinking if you connected a Flume onto your water meter (2 minute installation) that might help but since it only senses the spinning magnetic wheel on the meter already it wouldn't tell you anything either.

did a new house go up in your neighborhood recently or did the town fix a water main issue near your house?


eta been reading this thread with great interest because i was also intrigued by where the 13,000 gallons of mystery water was going.

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eta been reading this thread with great interest because i was also intrigued by where the 13,000 gallons of mystery water was going.

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1. There was a leak in hot water heater lines which was draining out onto the concrete where direct sun hits. Because it has been so hot last 60 days, that was evaporating on the concrete. The line was holding water.

2. Toilet flapper leaks and fill issues. A lot of them were eroded. Had all toilet internals replaced.

3. Water meter issues- which they think is the primary culprit

I think you are vastly under estimating how much water a bad flapper on a toilet can lose. A quick google search shows they can do 200 gallons a day which is 6000 gallons a month. 2 of those and you are about there.

I can’t remember how much it was but the water company called me one time because of a notice and they literally said over the phone it was likely a toilet because that’s roughly the change.