I知 trying to make sense of the following situation:

Starting abruptly in October, 2016, and since then, my city water bill has more than tripled. I知 aware that the number of service days per billing period varies not only from one month to the next but also from one year to another for a given month. So, I calculated the average daily use for each month. Then, I compared use in each of these seven months, with use for that same month in the prior year.

According to my bills, from October 2016 to April 2017, my average daily usage has increased by 352% over the prior year! Here痴 what痴 puzzling: (1) I live alone. I know how much water is being used. No way there could be any substantial increase, unless my cat is taking long showers during the night. (2) The small dial on the water meter that rotates when water is being used remains still when I check it, seeming to indicate that there is no water leak. (3) If I fill a 5-gallon pail of water and check it against the meter, the meter seems to indicate the correct correspondence between cubic feet and gallons. As far as I can tell, the meter is accurate.

I知 totally at a loss. Has anyone encountered any similar problem?

 

Doc -

I think if you have a very slow leak at one or more toilets your water usage can go way up. I致e heard double the normal usage for just a single leaky toilet. Maybe you have two leaky toilets or a faster leak. I think those type leaks would be slow enough you wouldn稚 see a meter dial movement unless you stared at it for a fairly long period of time.

You can get red food dye at the supermarket and color the water in your toilet tank(s). Wait and see if the red shows up in the toilet bowl(s) without flushing the toilet.

The pros will probably be along and will give you good information. But what I said I think is correct.

 

Turn all water off in house. Check meter should not be moving. Leave water off for 1 hour check meter, should be same as first time.If changed you have a leak.

 

You might also check overnight as it's not uncommon for the pressure to increase during the night possibly triggering a leak that isn't really apparent during lower pressure times.

 

House on a slab, very common with older homes to have leaks under the slab?

 

Hi, A couple things. Make sure that little spinner on the water meter spins with the water on.
Find out when they read your meter and read it yourself that day then find out when the next reading is and read it yourself that day. Your readings and the water company's should be pretty close.
Maybe they have a problem.
Good Luck Woodbutcher

 

Many thanks for the information. Much appreciated.