Published
Start with the bill itself
Before hunting for leaks, compare the bill with earlier ones. The answer is sometimes on the paper.
- Usage or rate? Check whether the gallons used went up or only the charges. Laredo’s City Council amended water and wastewater rates and fees in 2024 by Ordinance 2024-O-205, so compare the usage line, not just the total
- Billing period length. A cycle with more days than usual shows more usage
- Estimated read. If the bill says the reading was estimated, the next actual read may make up the difference
- Season. Summer irrigation, pool top-offs and guests can raise usage sharply in Laredo’s heat
- Meter read. Read the meter yourself and compare it with the reading on the bill
The 15-minute meter test
- Turn off all water. No faucets, toilets, washer, dishwasher, ice maker or irrigation.
- Read the meter. Write down the number, or watch the small leak indicator on the dial.
- Wait 15 minutes. Do not use any water.
- Read it again. If the number changed or the indicator moved, water is leaking somewhere.
- Isolate. Close the house main and repeat. If the meter stops, the leak is inside the house. If it keeps moving, it is between the meter and the house, or in irrigation.
The usual causes, most common first
Running toilets
A worn flapper is the most common hidden leak in a house. It can run silently all day. Put food coloring in each tank, wait 15 minutes without flushing, and look for color in the bowl. Parts are inexpensive; see toilets and faucets.
Irrigation
A stuck sprinkler valve, a broken head, a cracked pipe or a timer that was reset after a power outage can use a great deal of water. Walk the yard while each zone runs, and look for wet spots on days the system is off. A leaking backflow assembly counts too; see backflow and irrigation.
Dripping faucets and showers
Small drips add up over a month, especially from a tub spout or a shower valve.
Water heater relief valve
A relief valve that discharges into a drain or outside can run without anyone noticing. Check where its pipe ends.
Water softener
A softener that regenerates too often, or gets stuck in a cycle, sends water to the drain. Check its settings and listen for it running at odd times.
Yard line leak
If the meter keeps moving with the house main closed and the irrigation off, the line between the meter and the house may be leaking. Look for a soggy strip of yard or unusually green grass.
Slab leak
A leak under the slab may show as warm floor spots, the sound of running water or damp flooring. See leaks and slab leaks.
How much a leak can cost
The EPA’s WaterSense program estimates that the average household’s leaks can waste nearly 10,000 gallons of water a year, and that about one in ten homes has leaks wasting 90 gallons or more a day. Most of those are toilets, faucets and irrigation, which are also the cheapest to fix.
Leaks the city finds
Laredo Utilities staff, including meter readers and water conservation inspectors, look for leaks at meters, irrigation systems and backflow devices. Under the city’s drought contingency plan, when a leak is found on the private side of the meter, the owner receives a written warning to repair a controllable leak within 5 days. A second failure can lead to a citation. If you get a notice, schedule the repair right away and keep the invoice.
Talking to Laredo Utilities
- Ask whether the reading was actual or estimated, and request a re-read if the number does not match your meter
- Ask whether a leak adjustment or payment arrangement is available after a repaired leak, and what proof they need
- Keep the plumber’s invoice showing the date and what was repaired
- Ask the city to check the meter itself if your tests show no leak and usage stays high
Policies change, so ask the utility directly rather than relying on what a neighbor was told.
Seasonal patterns in Laredo
Usage in Laredo homes rises with the heat. Lawns, gardens and pools take far more water in the long summer than in winter, so a July bill that is higher than a January bill is normal. What is not normal is a jump compared with the same month last year, or a high bill in a cool month when the sprinklers were off.
Drought stages also shape usage. When the city limits irrigation to certain days and hours, a sprinkler controller that was never reprogrammed can keep running on the old schedule, using water and breaking the rules at the same time. After any stage change, check the controller.
Keep a simple record
Reading the meter on the first of each month, and writing the number on a calendar or in a phone note, turns a confusing bill into a clear trend. If usage climbs one month with nothing new in the house, you will know right away, not weeks later when the bill arrives. The same record is useful evidence if you ask the utility about a reading or an adjustment.
Leaks that do not show on the bill right away
Not every leak raises the bill the month it starts. A slow drip into a wall cavity or under a slab may use little water at first and grow over time, and a billing cycle that ends days after the leak begins will only show part of it. If you notice a damp spot, a musty smell or a warm floor, run the meter test even if the last bill looked normal. Water damage to framing and flooring often costs more than the water itself, and catching a leak early is what keeps it small.
When to call a plumber
Call when the meter test shows a leak you cannot find, when the leak is inside a wall or under the slab, when the yard line is leaking, or when a toilet or faucet repair is more than you want to take on. Tell the plumber the result of your meter test with the house main open and closed. That one detail tells them where to start, and it can shorten the visit.
Sources
Official and primary sources used on this page. Rules change, so check the source before acting on a detail.