24/7 emergency plumbing services: Text name, address and pictures to +1 (236) 233-9696
High Water Bill Langley | Hidden Leaks
High water bill Langley homeowners can't explain? Run a 10-minute meter test, find the leak, and see when the Township will credit part of it back.
GENERAL PLUMBING
Plumblink Crew
10/18/20265 min read
High Water Bill in Langley? How to Find a Hidden Leak
A water bill that jumps for no reason is usually a leak you can't see.
Here's how to confirm it in ten minutes, find where it is, and what the Township of Langley will and won't credit back.
More Langley homes are on metered water than ever. The Township now meters every new or replaced water service, and any homeowner can now apply to switch from the flat rate through its voluntary metering program. That's good news if you're careful with water. It also means a hidden leak now shows up on your bill, three times a year.
Step 1: Confirm it's a leak, not a busy month
Before you start looking for water, rule out the obvious. Did you fill a hot tub, top up a pool, run the irrigation harder in a dry spell, or have guests for a few weeks? If none of that happened and the bill still climbed, test the meter.
The 10-minute meter test
Turn off every tap, appliance, irrigation zone and anything else that uses water. Make sure nobody runs a toilet or the dishwasher during the test.
Find your meter. In the Township it's usually in a meter box near the property line, under a small lid in the lawn or boulevard.
Write down the reading, or take a photo. Many meters also have a small triangle or star-shaped dial that spins with even a trickle of flow.
Wait at least 10 minutes. An hour or two is better for a slow leak.
Read it again. If the numbers moved or the small dial turned with everything off, water is leaving your pipes somewhere.
Two things not to do: don't touch the valve in the meter box or at the curb, and don't dig around the box. Under the Township's Waterworks Regulation Bylaw No. 6074, only the Township can operate its curb stop. You are responsible for keeping the meter box clear and protected, including keeping shrubs and landscaping at least 1.5 metres back from it.
Step 2: Rule out the easy ones
Most high-bill leaks are inside the house and cheap to fix.
Running toilets. The most common cause by far. Put a few drops of food colouring in the tank and wait 15 minutes without flushing. Colour in the bowl means the flapper is leaking.
Dripping taps and shower valves. A steady drip adds up over a four-month billing period.
Irrigation. A cracked head or a stuck zone valve can run unnoticed, especially overnight.
Hot water tank. Check the pipe from the relief valve. If it's wet or dripping, the tank is discharging water. Our hot water tank page covers when that means a repair and when it means a replacement.
Outdoor taps and hose bibs, especially one that froze last winter and split inside the wall.
Fix these, then run the meter test again. If the meter still moves, the leak is somewhere you can't see.
Step 3: When the leak is hidden
If every fixture checks out and the meter still turns, the usual suspects are:
The buried service line between the meter and your house. Signs include a soggy strip of lawn, a sunken spot, or water pooling near the foundation in dry weather.
A pipe under the slab or inside a wall. Look for warm spots on floors, damp drywall, musty smells, or the sound of running water when nothing is on.
Older pipe. Poly-B fails at its fittings and old galvanised steel corrodes from the inside. If your home has either, a leak is more likely to be one of several.
This is where guessing gets expensive. Cutting open drywall or trenching the yard to look for a leak can cost more than the leak itself. Professional leak detection finds the source first so only one spot gets opened.
If the buried line is the problem, it's usually replaced rather than patched. Trenchless main water line replacement avoids digging up the whole yard.
Who pays for what
In the Township of Langley, the Township owns the water service up to its fitting at the property line, including the curb stop. Everything past that point, the line to your house and all the plumbing inside, is yours to maintain and repair under Bylaw No. 6074.
One detail worth knowing: if you replace your own service line and the Township decides its side has deteriorated to the point of leaking, the bylaw allows it to replace its side at no cost to you.
If the Township suspects a leak on your property, it will notify you and set a deadline for the repair. Ignoring that notice can lead to the water being shut off and fines.
On a metered account, your sewer charge is based on your water use too. A leak raises both lines on the bill.
City of Langley properties fall under the City's own bylaws, so check with the City about where its side ends.
Getting part of the bill credited back
The Township offers a one-time water leak adjustment for leaks you couldn't reasonably have known about. Under section 9.5 of Bylaw 6074, it applies when:
The leak was underground or concealed, either on the service line between the property line and the house, or in another underground spot you couldn't reasonably have found.
You repair it within the time the Township sets.
You submit a Leak Adjustment Request Form with proof the leak was properly repaired, such as your plumber's invoice.
If approved, the credit is based on your average metered use over the 12 months before the leak started. It can cover the current year and up to two previous calendar years.
What it doesn't cover: a running toilet, a dripping tap or a leaking irrigation head. Those are leaks you could reasonably have spotted, so they're on you. And it's one adjustment per property. A new owner who buys the home gets their own one-time adjustment.
The practical takeaway: when you get a hidden leak fixed, ask for an itemised invoice that says where the leak was and what was repaired. That's your proof for the form.
On a flat rate? You still want to know
If your home is still on the flat-rate bill, a leak won't change what you pay. It will still damage what's around it. A slow leak under a slab or in a crawl space can rot framing and grow mould long before you see it. The meter test works the same way if you have a meter. If you don't, watch for the physical signs above.
Frequently asked questions
How much water does a running toilet waste? It depends on the leak, but a toilet that runs around the clock wastes water every hour of every day, for the whole billing period. It's the first thing to check.
Can I shut the water off at the meter box myself? No. In the Township, only Township staff can operate the curb stop. Use the main shut-off inside your house. If you can't find it or it won't turn, that's worth fixing before you need it.
Does the leak adjustment cover my whole bill? No. It's a credit for the extra water above your normal use, calculated from your average over the previous 12 months. The Township decides the amount.
My bill is high but the meter test shows nothing. Now what? Some leaks only run when a fixture is in use, such as a cracked drain line or a toilet that leaks only after flushing. Check for damp spots and call a plumber if the next bill is high too. You can also ask the Township about getting the meter tested.
Do I need a plumber for the Leak Adjustment Request Form? You need proof the leak was repaired properly. A licensed plumber's invoice is the simplest proof.
Bill gone up and can't find why?
Plumblink finds hidden leaks across Langley without opening up more than we need to. We're Red Seal certified, fully insured and available 24/7, with a straightforward first-hour rate and no surprise fees.
Book leak detection or call (236) 233-9696. If water is coming through a ceiling or wall right now, that's an emergency call - shut off the main and phone us.
Langley, BC, Canada
Plumblink Plumbing Inc.
