Leak Adjustment Program

photo of an irrigation leak On average, water leaks can cause 10,000 gallons of water to be wasted in an American household per year.

The District adopted a new Leak Adjustment Program effective February 12, 2016 to ease the financial burden after a customer has experienced an unusually high water bill due to a water leak. 

Leak adjustments are granted on a case by case basis. To qualify for a leak adjustment you must repair the leak and submit a Leak Adjustment Request form to Customer Service, 2 Civic Center Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066, by fax 831-438-6235 or by email contact@svwd.org.

Read Your Meter on the Months the District Doesn't
The district reads your meter every two months, so it's a good idea for you to read it on the months that we don't. This allows you to become more familiar with your average use and catch leaks quicker.

Finding Leaks

The two most common places where leaks occur are in toilets and outdoor irrigation systems. These leaks can be tricky because, they're only noticable when the high bill comes.

If you have a house valve where the water enters your home, you can turn it off to isolate whether a possible leak is indoors or out. If you turn the house valve off and the meter stops moving, it is likely the potential leak is indoors. If the meter continues to move the leak is likely in your water main or irrigation system.

Checking for Toilet Leaks

Toilets alone can leak up to 200 gallons per day. We offer free toilet leak detector dye tablets to help you check for flapper valve leaks (you can also use 3-5 drops of food coloring).

  • Put the District's free dye tablets or strips in the toilet tank (or use 3-5 drops of food coloring).
  • Don't flush the toilet for about 15-20 minutes, check the toilet bowl to see if colored water has escaped into it from the tank.
  • If you see colored water in the bowl, you should replace or readjust the flapper.

Checking for Irrigation Leaks

  • Taller, greener vegetation or moss growing around sprinkler heads can be signs of a damaged or dirty valve causing a slow leak out of the sprinkler heads. Clean and replace worn parts or simply replace the valve.
  • Wet spots, mud, and eroding soil may indicate a broken pipe or sprinkler head. Dry spots in your lawn could also be a sign that a sprinkler is damaged.
  • Wet spots on pavement also indicate possible leaks or malfunctioning sprinkler heads. Watch your sprinklers to determine which one(s) is showering the pavement. Turn off the water, and adjust or replace the sprinkler head and riser. Sprinklers spouting geysers indicate broken sprinkler heads. Replace them... QUICK!

If you can’t locate a leak yourself, a plumber or leak detection company should be consulted. Certain leaks may be eligible for a leak adjustment on your water bill if they are corrected in a timely manner, are not preventable, and repair documented and inspected.