Control Your Water Costs by Fixing Leaks

Your drinking water utility works to controls costs by eliminating leaks in the treatment and distribution systems. Leaks that occur inside homes and businesses are the responsibility of the property owner. The typical person in Milwaukee uses 10 Ccf (hundred cubic feet) of water per quarter. Multiply 10 by the number of people in your household to give you the number of Ccf for water used in one quarter (for example, 4 people x 10 = 40 Ccf). If you are using more than 10 ccf per person per quarter, you may have water leaks.

Leak Indicators -You may have a plumbing leak if:
 

• You hear the continuous sound of water (like a toilet running) when nothing is turned on.
• The blue dial on your water meter spins when you are not using any water. Try the water meter test.
• The water portion of your Municipal Services Bill increases over a period of weeks or months.
• There are walls or floors in your home or building that are wet, spongy, moist, or have discolored areas when nothing has been spilled.
• You smell foul odors coming from floors or walls near drains or sewers.
• The building foundation cracks, vegetation grows unevenly, or earth shifts for no apparent reason.

Most leaks are easy to repair with parts from a hardware store. Or, call a professional plumber for help.

Use Water Wisely with these Helpful Resources

How much water do you use at home? What can you do to decrease your home’s water footprint? What do water leaks cost and how can you fix them? Find the answers here: