If you ever receive an alert from the City regarding abnormal water consumption, you might feel a sense of confusion or panic. Do not panic, everything will be okay! First, we recommend looking all around your property to locate the leak. (That means inside and outside.) We are calling a leak 24 hours of continuous water flow through the meter. So, sometimes leaks are easy to find and sometimes you realize that the water hose was left on! In some cases, you might be left scratching your head because you did not find any signs of leaks. Therefore, we alert you so that you aren’t confused looking at a high water bill. Leaks can be outside in the yard or underground, so just because you cannot see it, does not mean it is not there! What I mean by underground is that the line from the meter to your property can have a leak. Leaks can also occur in irrigation systems, pools, under foundations, and basically anything that uses water at your house.
Who is responsible?
There is some confusion about who the leak belongs to and who is responsible for fixing it. I completely understand the confusion because some people 
are not aware that private leaks that go through the meter are counted as consumption. If you are alerted of a leak it is important to check your water meter. If you are not sure if the leak is yours or the city’s, the easiest answer that question is to check the water meter. If the meter shows an alert or is reading a certain water flow (Gallons per minute), then that means the water has already passed through your property line. Look at the face of the meter; it is digital and shows the gallons per minute (gpm) going through the meter in the upper left of the meter face. If any of the numbers move or if an arrow symbol appears in the upper center square (where the red circle is on the meter face to the right), that means water is flowing through the meter. This means that you are paying for the water passing through the meter into your property. The City is not responsible for finding or fixing leaks in private property. Again, do not panic! In many cases, leaks can be an easy fix, like a toilet leak or a faucet. In the case that the leak is something you cannot fix, then you will have to hire a professional. That is why we try to alert people as soon as possible. The faster you can find and fix a water leak, the less expensive your water bill will be.
Will This Leak Affect My Water Bill?
I receive this question a lot, and it is understandable. If you are not intentionally using water, then it might be frustrating to have to pay for it. That is why we strongly recommend checking your water usage at your property regularly. To view your monthly, daily, or hourly water usage, register at our customer portal at www.RRTXwater.com. (Please note you need your CID-account number to register.) You will be able to see an easy to read line graph that represents your water usage! This is a great way to keep an eye on your water usage and catch anything that looks abnormal. Many people have learned that their toilet refills for hours in the middle of the night. Many people also realize that their irrigation system runs in the middle of the day rather than at night. Some people might even be more conscious about their water habits after seeing how much water they use in a day. Catching leaks fast prevents not only high bills but water damage to your property!
If you do have water leak, you will most likely be contacted by us, but it is important to keep an eye out for anything that looks like a leak. Hopefully, this has settled some confusion regarding leaks on private property. Here is more information about leaks.
https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/departments/utilities-and-environmental-services/water/water-leaks/
