Checking Your Meter/Testing For Leaks

New Water Meters

The City has just installed new water meters throughout the City. These meters are accurate within 5% of the actual usage. The City now has the capability to read your meter electronically by driving by your residence or business.

Checking Your Meter

You can check your meter to see if there is a leak at your residence or business. To check your meter you will need a flashlight which will be used to wake your meter up, it goes to sleep. Once you shine the flashlight on your meter it will wake up. The words "rate" will appear on your meter and then it will flash to your meter reading. If numbers are moving while your meter is on the rate screen, it means that you have a leak somewhere. If it is not moving, there is no leak and no water is being used.

The City now has the capability to download hour by hour usage from your meter which will track how much water has been used if you do have a leak. Once a leak is detected, you must hire a plumber to do the repairs or repair the item yourself.

If you have a leak, you can either try and find the leak yourself by following the instructions below on how to check for leaks or a City employee can come to your residence or business to help you find it. If you would like to schedule an appointment to have an employee come to your residence or business, please call (701) 662-7600, ext. 221.

Checking For Leaks

To check for leaks, check every plumbing fixture at the property, i.e. toilets, sinks, outside sprinklers, washer, hot water heaters, etc. Shut off the valves that supply each fixture, one by one, to find the leak. Keep in mind, there may be more than one leak!

Be sure to check toilets at the property. Toilet leaks are the most common and are hard to see or hear. Put food coloring, kool-aid powder or laundry bluing in the toilet tank and wait 10 minutes. Do not flush the toilet during this time. If the coloring appears in the toilet bowl, there is a toilet leak. Also, if you hear the toilet refilling and no one has used it, there is a leak. A major toilet leak can waste 6,000 gallons of water per day.

Look for leaky faucets, too. A fast drip from a faucet wastes about 265 gallons a day. Repair leaky faucets and toilets promptly - do it yourself or call a plumber because these leaks cost money.

If you are unable to locate a leak and would like assistance, please call (701) 662-7600, ext. 221 to make arrangements for an employee to visit your home or business. If they are able to locate the leak for you, you must hire a plumber to do the repairs or repair the item yourself.