City of Auburn

Checking for Leaks

Once you know how to read your meter, its time to put that knowledge to work for you. Finding water leaks can save you water, which means saving money on your water and sewer bills.

  1. For leak detection, turn all water-using appliances off so that no water is being used anywhere in the house. Then check the position of the meter dial and wait. If after 15 minutes, the dials haven’t moved congratulations! You have a relatively water-tight home. But, if the dials have moved, start checking hose connections, faucets and the toilets for water leaks. If you have everything turned off and are sure the toilets and connections aren’t leaking and yet the dials are still turning, you may have a hidden leak in an underground pipe. If you believe this is the case, you may need to call a plumber for assistance.

    2. Take a read then turn on the lawn sprinkler and watch the meter dial move for exactly two minutes. Now estimate how long you usually leave the sprinkler running. The hundreds of gallons of water going into your lawn and garden each week may come as a surprise to you.

If you have any questions about locating your meter, reading your meter and/or locating possible leaks please contact the Department of Public Works at 989-662-6761 to schedule an appointment with a technician.