Please advise on an unknown leak

[Michael Nahm]

I own a townhome and received a letter from the city it’s in, that the water meter has indicated that there may be a leak at the property.

There was a small leak under one of the sinks and I had a plumber fix it immediately. However, I noticed that the water bill is very high compared to prior years. Even though the tenants are responsible to pay for the water, I find it wasteful for them to pay such a high amount.

I advised the tenants and forwarded the letter to them so they are aware and to inform me of any leaks or water issues immediately.


I’m wondering though, since it’s a townhome, whether the city or the association are responsible for detecting any leaks outside of the home.

I’m probably answering my own question here and going to look into the townhome docs, but would like any additional advice from the sound minds on this forum.

[Nathan Gesner]

The most likely culprit is a toilet that flushes or runs constantly. If a running toilet uses just one gallon a minute, that's 43,200 gallons of water in a month. I've seen this happen a lot.

I recommend asking your tenant to check the toilets to see if they are trickling or flushing on their own. If so, get them fixed immediately. 

I also recommend educating yourself and your tenants on this issue. Then make the tenant responsible for high water use if they fail to report it.