Your water meter may be the most useful tool in identifying leaks. ELCO's meter readers find most major leaks but smaller leaks are more difficult to detect. To see if you have any leaks, follow these easy steps.

Locate your water meter. It is usually in a pit in your front yard under a metal lid. You will need a pair of pliers or vice grips to remove the lid. If there are two meters in the pit, the one closest to your house is yours. Most meters are equipped with a scanner that allows the meter to be read without removing the lid. When removing and replacing the lid, be careful to avoid damaging the wire that connects the meter to the scanner mounted in the lid. The wire needs to be inside the pit and the second cover inside the pit needs to be returned to the original position when the metal lid is reinstalled.

Once you locate your water meter, turn off all your water faucets and fixtures. Look for the leak detector on the face of the meter. The leak detector is usually a small red triangle or dial that slowly rotates when water is flowing through the meter. The readout on some older water meters will not look like the one in the photo. Contact the ELCO office if you have trouble locating your meter or the leak detector on your meter.

If the leak detector on the face of the meter is moving when the water is off, you probably have a leak. The most common culprit is a toilet. A toilet flap that is not seated correctly can cause water to constantly seep from the toilet tank to the bowl. Place a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes without flushing then check the bowl for traces of the food coloring. If the water in the bowl is colored, you have found a leak that can probably be fixed by replacing the toilet flap. Other common causes of leaks are faulty underground sprinkler systems or worn faucets. It is in your best interest to find all leaks and have them repaired.

If you have a smart meter, make sure you have an account set up with EyeOnWater so you can monitor your water use and set up leak alerts. Please note, not all accounts have a smart meter installed yet.  To determine if there is a Badger meter installed at the property, refer to the monthly bill.  All accounts with a Badger meter installed have a note just right of the bar graph stating “Access to your daily water usage is available at www.elcowater.org/eyeonwater."

 No. The District's responsibility for repairs ends at the water meter. All water lines and devices on the customer's side of the meter are the responsibility of the customer. Likewise, all facilities on the District's side of the meter (including the meter) are repaired and maintained by the District.