Common Plumbing Causes of a High Water Bill

Possible causes include:

• A running toilet
• A dripping faucet
• A leaking hose bib
• A hidden leak under the home
• A slab leak
• A leaking water heater or valve
• A refrigerator water line leak
• A washing machine or appliance connection leak
• An irrigation leak
• A leak between the meter and the home

Simple checks homeowners can do:

• Listen for toilets refilling when nobody flushed
• Check under sinks for moisture
• Look around the water heater
• Check outside hose bibs
• Look for wet or unusually green spots in the yard
• Check refrigerator and washing machine water lines
• Make sure no fixtures are dripping
• Watch whether the water meter moves when all water is off

If the bill is high and you cannot find the reason, it may be time to have the plumbing checked.