Water Authority policy on leaks/billing

The Water Authority’s policies state that the Authority is responsible for all water infrastructure up to the water meter. All water infrastructure downstream of the water meter is the customer’s responsibility. Therefore, if a customer suspects a leak in their service location’s plumbing, it is their responsibility to contact a licensed plumber to complete the necessary repair works.

At this time, all of the Authority’s water meters are read manually on a monthly basis. In order to assist our customers with discovering leaks before they amount to a major problem, the Authority provides information online about detecting leaks, including the How To Detect A Leak brochure, and offers dye tabs to help check for toilet leaks free of charge.

During the meter reading cycle or while visiting a meter, a Meter Reader may identify movement on the meter which could indicate a possible leak. In such a situation, the Meter Reader will endeavour to inform the customer immediately. If no one is present at the property, the Meter Reader shall make the decision as to whether to turn the shut off valve off to prevent further water loss. If water service is temporarily interrupted as a preventative measure, the Meter Reader will leave a notice on the customer’s door to inform them of the situation. The Meter Reader also notifies the Customer Service Representatives so that a Representative can reach out to the customer via the contact information associated with their account.

In addition, as part of the pre-billing process the Authority conducts what is known as “fail audits” to help identify possible leaks where there is higher-than-normal consumption obtained from a monthly meter reading. The Authority’s billing software automatically flags accounts for which consumption is over 20m3 and 50% more than the previous period. If the Authority’s billing system flags an account for higher-than-normal consumption, a different Meter Reader will be assigned to double-check the meter reading and carry out the procedures mentioned above. If water service is temporarily interrupted as a preventative measure, the Meter Reader will leave a notice on the customer’s door to inform them of the situation. The Meter Reader also notifies the Customer Service Representatives so that a Representative can reach out to the customer via the contact information associated with their account.

As water is an essential service, whenever there is a case of a high bill due to a leak on the customer side, the Authority makes every effort to work with the customer in order to help ease the unexpected financial difficulties (i.e., a payment plan).

Leaks can manifest at any time, so customers are advised to monitor their water usage and check their water meter periodically. Customers can learn to read their water meter and monitor their usage manually using the resources provided on the Authority’s website here.