Water Line Leak at Home? What to Check Before Calling for Repair

The short answer

If your water meter keeps moving while every fixture and water-using appliance is off, or you notice damp ground nobody can explain, a sudden change in water pressure, or a bill that jumped for no reason, you may have a leak. Those signs do not tell you where the leak is or who owns the pipe. Write down the meter readings, the times, where you see water, and how the bill changed. Then call your water utility and ask about the service line and what it recommends next. If the problem looks like it is in your home’s plumbing, have a plumber assess it.

This guide covers spotting a leak and deciding who to call. Who owns which stretch of pipe is a separate question, answered in who owns the water and sewer line to your house. If water is coming into the house right now, skip ahead to when it is an emergency.

Signs that point to a water line leak

None of these proves a buried line is leaking. Each one is a reason to check further.

• The meter moves when nothing is on. This is the most useful clue, and the test is below.
• The bill jumped. The U.S. EPA’s WaterSense program suggests comparing a monthly bill to the same month last year; a bill that is significantly higher may point to a leak nobody has found (EPA WaterSense).
• Damp or soft ground with no rain to explain it. A patch that stays wet, feels spongy, or grows greener than the rest of the lawn, especially between the house and the street.
• A change in water pressure. Weaker flow at several fixtures at once, not just one faucet.
• The sound of running water when everything is off.

A drip under a sink, a running toilet, or a weeping water heater can also move the meter and raise the bill. Those are fixture and appliance leaks inside the house, not a water line problem, and they are easier to find. Check them first.

If what you have is drains backing up rather than water going missing, that is a different pipe. The drain and sewer side is covered on the sewer and drain cleaning page.

A safe meter check you can do in a few hours

The meter counts water as it passes through. That makes it the cheapest leak detector you own. EPA describes the check simply: read the meter during a period when no water is being used, read it again two hours later, and if the reading has changed, you probably have a leak (EPA WaterSense).

1. Turn off every water use. Faucets, showers, dishwasher, washing machine, ice maker, irrigation, and any water softener cycle. Make sure nobody runs water during the test.
2. Read the meter and write the number down, along with the time.
3. Wait two hours with no water use.
4. Read it again. If the number moved, water is leaving somewhere.

Two cautions. First, many meters sit in a pit near the curb. In New Castle County, Artesian Water states the meter is its property and that customers are legally prohibited from operating the curb stop, the shutoff valve near the street (Artesian Water). If you cannot read your meter without lifting a lid or reaching into a pit, call your utility and ask how it wants you to check. Do not dig, pry, or turn any valve in the pit.

Second, the meter only knows about water that has already passed through it. A moving meter tells you water is leaving somewhere past the meter. It does not tell you where. And a leak on the street side of the meter will not show up on your reading at all.

If you would rather not run the test by hand, EPA notes that flow-monitoring devices measure how much water is flowing and can flag use patterns that suggest a leak, while moisture sensors alert you to unexpected dampness (EPA WaterSense). They can warn you. They do not replace finding the leak. EPA also suggests asking your water utility whether it offers leak alerts (EPA WaterSense).

What to write down before you call anyone

Ten minutes of notes makes both calls shorter and gives whoever comes out a head start.

• Both meter readings and the times, and confirmation that nothing was running in between.
• When you first noticed the wet spot, pressure change, or sound.
• Where it is. Front yard, side yard, near the foundation, near the street, or inside.
• Photos from a safe distance: the damp area, any water on the ground, and the bill showing the jump.
• Bill history. The last few months and the same month last year.
• What you already ruled out: toilets, faucets, water heater, outdoor spigots.
• Who your water comes from, taken from the name on the bill.

Keep it all in one note on your phone. You will be asked for most of it twice.

Utility or plumber: who to call first

Call the utility first. It is free, and the utility can tell you things nobody else can.

Ask your water utility:

• Which part of the service line does it maintain at your address?
• Can it check the meter or the line on its side?
• Does it offer a meter test? Artesian, for example, says a customer who gets an unexpectedly high bill and is sure a leak is not the cause can request one (Artesian Water).
• What does it want you to do next, and does it need access to anything?

Where the utility’s responsibility ends and yours begins depends on the utility, and sometimes on the property. Do not assume the answer from a neighbor or another town. The published rules for several New Castle County providers are in who owns the water and sewer line to your house. Middletown runs its own water and sewer systems, and Middletown’s water, sewer, and what you own covers what the Town has published.

Then bring in a plumber when the signs point to your side: the utility has checked its side, you have ruled out fixtures, and the meter still moves. A plumber can assess your home’s plumbing and tell you what the findings support before anyone talks about repair. Bring your notes.

If your home is on a private well, there is no utility meter and no utility side. The system is yours from the well to the faucet, so this goes straight to a plumber.

When it is an emergency, not a checklist

Water coming into the basement or running across a floor is not something to log for two hours.

• Shut off the water at your home’s main shutoff if you know where it is and can reach it safely. Not the curb stop.
• Stay away from water near outlets, panels, or appliances. Do not walk into standing water to reach a valve or a breaker.
• Call for help right away. Spangler runs 24/7 emergency plumbing, and the plumbing emergency guide covers what to do while you wait.

If water is coming up in the street or at the curb, call the water utility. That is its call to make first.

Questions homeowners ask

How can I tell if my water line is leaking?

Run a meter check. Turn off all water use, read the meter, wait two hours with nothing running, and read it again. EPA says a changed reading probably means a leak. Damp ground, a pressure drop, or a bill jump are supporting clues, but none of them pinpoints the leak or says who owns the pipe.

Should I call the water company or a plumber for a water line leak?

Start with the water utility. Ask which part of the line it maintains at your address and what it recommends. If the utility’s side checks out and your meter still moves with everything off, have a plumber assess your home’s plumbing.

Can I open the meter pit myself to read it?

Ask your utility first. Artesian, for one, states the meter is its property and that customers may not operate the curb stop. If your meter is in a pit at the curb, ask the utility how it wants you to read it or whether it can check for you.

My bill went up but I see no water anywhere. Is it a leak?

Possibly. EPA suggests comparing the bill to the same month last year, since a significantly higher bill may mean a hidden leak. Check toilets and fixtures, run the two-hour meter test, and call the utility. Artesian offers a meter test when a high bill is not explained by a leak.

Does a meter leak test tell me where the leak is?

No. A moving meter only tells you water is leaving somewhere past the meter. Finding where takes a closer look, and a leak on the street side of the meter will not register on your reading at all.

Get the notes, then make the call

Run the meter check, write down what you see, and call your water utility before you pay anyone. If the signs point to a plumbing issue at your home, contact Spangler Plumbing to discuss an assessment, and bring your notes. For water that is actively coming in, use 24/7 emergency plumbing instead.