The one hour meter test
Turn everything off
Close taps, stop the dishwasher and washer, and make sure no one flushes.
Read the meter
Write down the numbers and note whether the small leak dial is moving.
Wait an hour
Use no water at all during that time.
Read again
Any change in the number means water is leaking somewhere past the meter.
Check the easy suspects first
Put a few drops of food coloring in each toilet tank and wait fifteen minutes without flushing. If color shows in the bowl, the flapper is leaking, and a replacement costs far less than a month of lost water. See toilet repair if you want a plumber to do it.
Then walk the house. Look for a dripping outdoor spigot, a running water softener or humidifier, a water heater relief valve that is dripping and any damp spot on a ceiling, wall or floor.
Where leaks hide
| Location | Clue |
|---|---|
| Toilet tank | Food coloring appears in the bowl |
| Irrigation zone | Wet lawn patch, low pressure in one zone |
| Buried service line | Meter spins with all valves closed, soggy ground in a line |
| Under a slab | Warm floor spot, sound of water at night |
| In a wall or ceiling | Stain, peeling paint or musty smell |
| Water heater | Damp base or a relief valve that drips |
Meter still moving?
Call and a plumber will book a visit with pressure testing and leak locating gear.
Irrigation season is a separate story
Some Caldwell homes are on pressurized irrigation run by the Caldwell Municipal Irrigation District rather than city water. Those pumps typically start in mid to late April and shut off in early to mid October, so a lawn leak in summer may not show on the drinking water bill at all.
If your home has an irrigation system on city water, a stuck valve or a cracked line can run all night. Test each zone separately and watch the meter, and if you cannot find it, a plumber can isolate and pressure test each zone as covered on the leak detection page.
How Caldwell treats a leak on your bill
The City of Caldwell's utility billing policy says it will not adjust a bill for excess water from a leak. Narrow exceptions exist, such as a line break or failed parts on the city side of the meter, where water can be adjusted, and sewer charges can be adjusted if the leaked water never reached the sewer.
The city's water ordinance makes the owner responsible for leaks in service pipes and fixtures on the property side, and it says wasteful leaks should be fixed within 60 days of notice from the city. Utility billing is at (208) 455-3000, option 1, and the city's Hearing Board meets on Wednesdays at 9 a.m. for billing appeals.
The service area page shows where leak locating visits are offered.
Repairs to leaking pipe follow the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) with Idaho amendments, and Idaho says a permit is required when plumbing work is performed.
Source: City of Caldwell Utility Billing and water ordinance pages
Winter leaks and frozen pipes
NOAA normals for the nearby Nampa station show roughly 132 days a year at or below freezing. A pipe that splits in a cold snap can leak for hours before anyone notices, and the first sign may be a bill spike weeks later.
If you find a split pipe, close the main valve and call. Burst pipe repair covers what to do in the first minutes, and the plumber will check nearby pipes for damage.
Reading a bill like a detective
Look at the usage graph on the bill, if one is shown, instead of only the total. A steady rise suggests a slow leak, while a sudden jump suggests a break or a stuck valve.
Compare the same month across two years, and note whether you added irrigation, a new appliance or house guests. If the usage doesn't match any change, the meter test is the next step, and the city's utility billing office can confirm your reading at (208) 455-3000, option 1.
Signs the leak is in the ground
A damp or lush strip of lawn
Water rises from a buried line and feeds the grass above it.
Low pressure at every tap
A large leak before the house steals pressure.
The meter moves with all valves closed
Water is leaving between the meter and the house.
A hissing sound near the meter box
A leak at the connection can be heard on a quiet night.
A wet patch that appears and dries
Intermittent leaks follow pressure changes.
A foundation that stays damp
Water from a service line can track toward the slab.
Questions Caldwell homeowners ask
The city's billing policy says it does not adjust for excess water from a leak, with narrow exceptions such as a line break on the city side of the meter. Ask utility billing at (208) 455-3000, option 1, if you think an exception applies.
Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank and wait fifteen minutes. Color in the bowl means the flapper is leaking.
It varies by household size and irrigation. Compare this month to the same month last year, since seasonal use changes the picture.
Yes, with pressure testing, acoustic listening and thermal imaging. Concrete is opened only once the leak is pinpointed.
Policies differ. Many cover damage from a sudden leak but not the cost to find it or repair the pipe, so check yours.
Yes. See the page for Middleton, and give the dispatcher your address when you call.