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Finding and fixing leaks

A leaky toilet can increase your water usage by 200 gallons a day and a dripping faucet can send 168 gallons of water down the drain every month. Leaks can run up your water bill and increase your City of Eugene wastewater charges.

Usually, a leaky faucet, showerhead or toilet is easy to fix. Leaking faucets usually are caused by worn washers, while toilet leaks often can be traced to the flush or fill valves.

The Eugene Water & Electric Board offers homeowners advice on finding and fixing the following common plumbing problems:

Toilets

Check all of your toilets for leaks. Sometimes a toilet can leak without making any sound or movement of water in the bowl.

• Drop two dye tablets or one teaspoon of food coloring in the tank of each toilet.
• Do not flush the toilet. Wait for 15 minutes.
• If color appears in the bowl after 15 minutes, there is a leak in the toilet that you should fix. Contact Water Management Services at 541-984-4747 to obtain home toilet repair information or visit flapper replacement and fill valve replacement.
• If you find a leak at your toilet, you should turn the valve off under the toilet while you continue checking your system.
• If you change out your high flush toilet to a low flow toilet, Water Management Services offers a rebates.

Faucets

Repair any outside or inside water faucet leaks. This type of water usage can add up over time. Repair information for these fixtures and more water savings tips can be found at:

Sinks
Washer-type faucet
Washerless faucet

Showers
Washer-type faucet
Ball-type faucet

Water service line

The water service line between the water meter and the house may also leak. Once the toilets have been eliminated for leaks, do a meter test.

Meter test

• Locate the water meter, which is usually located near the street.
• Write down the numerical reading. If the meter cannot be read because there is too much water, call EWEB's Water Operations at 541-484-6016.
• Wait 1.5 hours without using water (flushing toilets, running the dishwasher, doing laundry) and re-read the meter.
• If the numbers have changed, water has passed through the meter indicating there is a leak.

Irrigation systems (underground sprinklers)

• Turn the irrigation valve off. Do a meter test (see above). If the meter moves during this time, the leak is in the household plumbing. If the meter does not move, do a meter test with the irrigation valve on.
• Turn the irrigation value on. Do another meter test. If the meter moves, the leak is in your irrigation and needs to be fixed.
• Learn how to calculate your water budget.

After you have completed all of the leak checks and found that the leak is not in the toilets, faucets or irrigation, call EWEB's Water Operations at 541-484-6016 for further assistance with locating the leak. If a leak is detected between the water meter and the premises, it is your responsibility to make the necessary repairs.

Please direct any questions regarding wastewater and storm water to the City of Eugene's Wastewater and Storm Water Departments at 541-682-4900.