Your water bill went up — maybe a little, maybe a lot. Before you assume it's a rate increase, know this: a sudden or steady increase in your water bill almost always means water is going somewhere it shouldn't be. In most cases it's a leak, and in most cases it's fixable for a lot less than you'd expect.
Here are the 7 most common causes we find when KC homeowners call us about a high water bill.
Turn off everything in your home that uses water. Go look at your water meter. If the dial is still moving, you have a leak somewhere. This confirms the problem before you spend any time troubleshooting.
1 Running Toilet
This is by far the most common cause of a high water bill we see in Kansas City homes. A running toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day — that's 6,000 gallons a month, which can add $50-$100 or more to your bill depending on KC Water rates. The tricky part is that many running toilets run silently. You won't hear it, but the flapper, fill valve, or flush valve is letting water constantly trickle through.
To check: put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank. Wait 10 minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, your toilet is running. A flapper replacement is usually a $5 fix at the hardware store, but if the fill valve is the issue it's worth having a plumber handle it properly.
2 Dripping Faucet
A faucet dripping once per second wastes over 3,000 gallons per year. Most people ignore a dripping faucet because it seems minor, but over a full year it's a meaningful chunk of your water bill. A worn washer or O-ring is usually the culprit and it's a quick fix. If you have multiple dripping faucets the waste adds up fast.
3 Leaking Water Service Line
The water service line runs from the city meter to your home underground. When it develops a leak — from age, corrosion, ground shifting, or tree roots — water seeps out underground and you'll never see it inside your home. Signs include wet spots or unusually green/lush patches in your yard, soft ground near the water meter, or low water pressure throughout the house along with a high bill. This one requires a professional to diagnose and fix.
4 Leaking Outdoor Spigot or Irrigation
Outdoor spigots and irrigation systems are easy to forget about, especially after summer. A spigot that doesn't fully shut off, or an irrigation line with a cracked fitting underground, can run water continuously without being obvious. Check all your outdoor spigots by feeling around the connection point for moisture, and inspect your irrigation system at the start of each season.
5 Water Heater Pressure Relief Valve
Your water heater has a pressure relief valve (PRV) designed to release water if pressure gets too high. If this valve is faulty or your water pressure is consistently too high, it may be releasing water periodically — sometimes through a discharge pipe that drains outside or into a floor drain where you'd never notice it. If your water bill is high and you can't find any other leak, check near your water heater for signs of moisture or a PRV that's warm to the touch.
6 Hidden Pipe Leak Inside Walls or Slab
Leaks inside walls or under a concrete slab are the hardest to find and the most damaging. Signs include water stains on walls or ceilings, warm spots on your floor (if hot water line), the sound of running water when nothing is on, or mold/mildew smell. These require a plumber with leak detection equipment to locate accurately — don't let anyone open up walls blindly without locating the leak first.
7 Seasonal Usage You Forgot About
Sometimes the answer is simpler. Did you fill a pool or hot tub? Water the lawn heavily during a dry spell? Have guests staying for a week? Irrigation systems on a timer can use far more water than homeowners realize — a typical KC lawn irrigation system can use 1,000-3,000 gallons per watering cycle. If your bill spiked in summer, check your irrigation schedule before assuming a leak.
What To Do Next
Start with the meter test — turn everything off and watch the meter. If it moves, you have a leak. Then work through the list above starting with the toilet (most common) and outdoor spigots (easiest to check). If you can't locate the source or suspect a service line or in-wall leak, call us. We can locate most leaks without unnecessary digging or demolition, and we'll give you a flat-rate price before any work starts.
Suspect a Leak? Call Poor John's.
We'll find it and fix it — flat-rate pricing, no surprises.