High Water Bill? Water Meter Leak Detection in Beaverton, OR

A Tualatin Valley Water District bill that climbs with no visible leak is one of the most common reasons people call us in Beaverton -- and it makes sense, since the leaks that drive bills up the most are usually invisible ones. A pinhole leak inside a wall weeps slowly and stays hidden for weeks. A silently leaking toilet flapper runs into the bowl and down the drain unnoticed. Your water meter cannot be fooled the same way: it registers every gallon passing through whether or not you can see where that water went, making it the fastest, cheapest diagnostic step before we ever send a truck.

Turn off every fixture and appliance that uses water, including anything on an automatic cycle like an irrigation timer. Find your TVWD meter, note the reading, wait at least two hours without using any water, then read it again. Any movement means water left the system somewhere between the meter and your fixtures, even with everything off.

What the Meter Tells Us Before We Arrive

A fast, steady flow points toward a supply-side leak -- a slab, yard, or service line failure running continuously. A slower or intermittent flow more often points toward a fixture, most commonly a silently leaking toilet flapper, which can waste hundreds of gallons a day without ever overflowing or making a sound. A bill that has been high for several cycles usually means a smaller, slower leak rather than a sudden failure.

Common Causes Behind a High Bill With No Visible Leak

Pinhole leaks are common in Beaverton's copper-pipe neighborhoods like Cedar Hills, Garden Home, and Highland Beaverton -- see our pinhole leak detection page. Silent toilet leaks are next most common; food coloring in the tank showing up in the bowl within ten minutes confirms it. Irrigation leaks in a yard can run for weeks before anyone notices standing water. Once you have confirmed loss with the meter test, we combine that flow-rate data with acoustic listening and pressure isolation to pinpoint exactly where the water is going, rather than guessing based on the bill alone.

Call (503) 974-3329 for same-day meter-based leak detection throughout Washington County.

Frequently Asked Questions