Water Leak

[jerrybob]

We have about 6 acres with two homes and a shop. I did not build the structures nor ran the water lines. Couple of years ago.......we developed a water leak. Trouble shooting has been really tough....since many of my lines run under asphalt driveway and under lots of landscaping. Over the past year......have put in several isolation valves and found one leak at a T junction which was plastic. Thought the problem was fixed a few months ago until we started seeing our water bill climb again. We went from about 3500 gallons per month to almost 20,000 gallons. Well.....we isolated the problem to the last long run of under driveway line. Yesterday.....we punched a pipe under my driveway.......used a 4 wheel drive trencher (that machine is a beast) and ran 300 ft of new water line. The good news....make that great news.......the leak has been fixed and our meter no longer has a slow spin. Talked to the city a little while ago......they will adjust my last two bills based on average water use the previous three months. Today I have clean up to do.........we had to remove a tree......tear up part of a lower deck to get to house connection and lots of raking where we trenched. Life is good!!!!!

 

[gghb]

good to have problems like that behind you

 

[MMagis]

How do 16000 gallons of water leak without creating mud hole?

 

[ustmd]

First rule of Tractorbynet--it did not happen unless there are pictures.....:dance1:

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

First rule of Tractorbynet--it did not happen unless there are pictures.....:dance1:

I agree pictures make it easier for everyone to tell the OP how he SHOULD of done it!

 

[jerrybob]

How do 16000 gallons of water leak without creating mud hole?

Not sure. We live on a hill. The leak was under the driveway I believe. We get lots of rain here.....80 to 100 inches per year so seeing wetness isn't always easy. I was hoping to find a mud hole or at least a wet spot.....never happened. Glad the leak is over.......to connect the new line to the house.....had to remove a lot of lower deck and hand dig a trench out to the yard where the trencher could reach. My back is still sore!

 

[EddieWalker]

How do 16000 gallons of water leak without creating mud hole?

I've always wondered the same thing, but in ever case, I've never seen where the water leaked, and the water district people tell me it goes down gopher holes, or just follows a path through the ground without ever making it to the surface. The bottom of the original trench is where most of it runs until it finds a way out.

 

[MMagis]

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. It would be harder for the water to come up through the ground, vs down.

 

[D2Cat]

Consider yourself fortunate that the city offers a rate adjustment program.

I have a 4-plex in a small town of 2000. Normally have water consumption of 6-12K gallons per month. Had one reading of 154K. Meter leak indicator did not spin. Ground not wet. No residence reported and running water, stools. Outside hyd. has a chain lock. Measured water rate at bathtub at full blast, 5gal/min = 300gal/hr. (tub drain runs slow so constant flow would overflow tub.)

You do the math. It's virtually impossible, but they want me to pay for getting the meter checked including shipping. Some stwons are so broke they have no leeway, I guess.

Consider yourself blessed.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Consider yourself fortunate that the city offers a rate adjustment program.

I have a 4-plex in a small town of 2000. Normally have water consumption of 6-12K gallons per month. Had one reading of 154K. Meter leak indicator did not spin. Ground not wet. No residence reported and running water, stools. Outside hyd. has a chain lock. Measured water rate at bathtub at full blast, 5gal/min = 300gal/hr. (tub drain runs slow so constant flow would overflow tub.)

You do the math. It's virtually impossible, but they want me to pay for getting the meter checked including shipping. Some stwons are so broke they have no leeway, I guess.

Consider yourself blessed.

Nobody wants to pay taxes.

 

[jerrybob]

Consider yourself fortunate that the city offers a rate adjustment program.

I have a 4-plex in a small town of 2000. Normally have water consumption of 6-12K gallons per month. Had one reading of 154K. Meter leak indicator did not spin. Ground not wet. No residence reported and running water, stools. Outside hyd. has a chain lock. Measured water rate at bathtub at full blast, 5gal/min = 300gal/hr. (tub drain runs slow so constant flow would overflow tub.)

You do the math. It's virtually impossible, but they want me to pay for getting the meter checked including shipping. Some stwons are so broke they have no leeway, I guess.

Consider yourself blessed.

Yea.....I am pleased with the city looking at a rate adjustment. We're a small town.......the city supervisor and mayor are friends. I used to be on the city council. They have done this for others as well.......as long as the resident takes action and fixes the problem. Hope you find out what the problem is on your end.

 

[jerrybob]

duplicate......

 

[Streetcar]

I had a two inch service crack and received bill for over a million gallons of water. With all of the water turned off ,the leak was over 60,000 gallons a day. Leak was between meter and first private shutoff. No evidence of leak on surface, soil was granular. City waived the bill after leak was repaired.

 

[jerrybob]

I had a two inch service crack and received bill for over a million gallons of water. With all of the water turned off ,the leak was over 60,000 gallons a day. Leak was between meter and first private shutoff. No evidence of leak on surface, soil was granular. City waived the bill after leak was repaired.

Wow.....that's big. Good thing the city waived the fee.......you'd be paying the rest of your life.

 

[LD1]

16000 gallons a month is about 20 gallos per hour. That would barley be a trickle in the nearest field/drail tile.

 

[jerrybob]

16000 gallons a month is about 20 gallos per hour. That would barley be a trickle in the nearest field/drail tile.

I agree........that's why it never showed up. It's a lot when your paying for it........added well over $100 to the monthly water bill.

 

[jerrybob]

Duplicate......TBN error

 

[jim44]

Had the same thing happen a few years back. Same deal-get the meter checked at MY expense- which would have been about $150 after all was said and done. I guess they think we're sabotaging the meters or something. I just kept a close eye on usage for a couple months, and it never happened again.

 

[D2Cat]

jim44, I think the meter skipped a digit. It's probably 35-40 years old. They don't have a replacement because it's a 3/4" meter, and most are 5/8". So I'll do as you did. Pay them, keep a watch on usage and pray for no problem until they replace the meters with the new remote read meters.