Water Leak Adjustment
If a water leak occurs on your side of the meter, you will be responsible for the repair as well as the associated charges from the water consumption. Customers who repair leaks in a timely manner may be eligible for an adjustment to their bill.
General Guidelines
A property Owner may request one (1) leak adjustment per meter per 36-month period. Residential and commercial accounts are eligible. Leak adjustment requests may be made by the property owner only.
The leak adjustment may only apply to one billing statement and shall not exceed a period of 2 months.
The District offers 2 types of water leak adjustments to customer accounts:
- 50% Leak Adjustment – Leaks that occurred in the service line between the District meter and the entry point of service into the facility, interior plumbing, sinks, toilets, and/or hose bibs.
- 25% Leak Adjustment – Leaks that occurred within an irrigation system.
The rate used will be the current lowest rate for the requesting Owner’s consumption if that account is on tiered consumption. The adjustment credit will be calculated using the formula established by District policy. When calculating a leak adjustment, District staff will consider historical and/or typical consumption levels.
The eligible consumption will be a percentage (see above) of the difference between the current consumption in question and the average of the last three (3) years of the same calendar billing period as the claimed leak consumption amount. The eligible consumption multiplied by the current consumption charge for the given account will equal the allowed adjustment.
Example: Current consumption for a residential, non mini-minimum, non-irrigation leak is 200 units. Consumption in the same period last year is 20 units, two years ago is 24 units, and three years ago is 18 units. Average consumption for the last three years is 20.67 units. By subtracting the 20.67 unit average from the current consumption in question of 200 units, the overage is 179.33 units. By using the 50% calculation for non-irrigation leaks, the eligible overage is 89.67 units. Multiplying 89.67 units by the current consumption rate for a Residential account of $5.00, the allowed adjustment if approved is $448.33.
The District does not provide reimbursement for the cost(s) of repair, or other costs resulting from a water leak.
The approved leak adjustment amount will be applied to the utility account’s balance due, which may result in a credit toward future charges. Leak credits will not be refunded unless the account is closed, and the customer has a credit balance remaining on the account.
Qualifying Repairs
The water leakage must be repaired within 30 days of discovery.
“Discovery” is defined as the property owner’s actual knowledge of the water leakage or notification by District staff. “Notification by District staff” means any of the following communication: in-person, email, letter, door tag, phone call, or text message.
“Repair” is defined as the customer’s damaged and/or defective part that caused the leak to occur has been removed and/or replaced and/or rehabilitated correcting the water loss. Simply turning off a valve to the damaged area to stop the water loss does not qualify as a repair.
Applications for Leak Adjustment
A complete Leak Adjustment Request with documentation must be submitted to the District within 30 days of the completed repairs. Property owners can submit the request and supporting documentation in person, via email or via the District website. Before submitting your leak adjustment application, please make sure you have attached appropriate proof of repair. Any request submitted without documentation of repair, will be rejected. Proof of the water leak’s repair may be in the form of pictures, receipt(s) for repair parts, contractor’s invoice, or other documentation that indicates the water leak has been repaired. For repairs made by third parties, the District requires detailed receipts for repairs (such as plumbers or contractors). For repairs made by customers, the District requires copies of receipts for repair supplies, pictures of the leak before and after repair, and a sworn declaration from the customer describing the repair, including a description and date of the repair work.
The property owner will be notified of the District’s action on the application for adjustment, or if additional information is required. District inspection of the repair may be required.
Other Important Information
It may take up to 2 weeks to fully process a Leak Adjustment Request. Customers are responsible for paying current and new charges while an application is being processed. It is important to note your bill is still due on the due date and subject to delinquency charges if not paid. Extenuating circumstances will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis by the District management team.