Water Leaks

Water Leaks FAQs

• I found a leak, do I have to pay for all the water consumed?

  Possibly. The Water Leak User Fee Adjustment Policy enables credits to be applied to water usage for certain types of leaks which fall under three distinct categories:

  • Underground Leak
  • Underground Irrigation Leak
  • Above Ground Leak
    

   

  Restrictions apply. Please refer to the Leak Adjustment Form for qualifying leak types under the above categories, time limits, and required documentation.

  Upon discovering a leak, residents are advised to promptly inform the User Rate's team, address the leak swiftly, and submit a Leak Application Form for a qualifying leak. 

• Can my excessive consumption be caused by a malfunctioning meter?

  Water meters only record the water that has flowed through the meter. If a water meter malfunctions, it is more likely to under-register the actual water usage.

• Is the leak on my property or the City’s property?

  Leaks that are between the water meter box and your house are the homeowner's responsibility.  Leaks outside of your property lines can be considered the City's responsibility.  If you believe the water meter is leaking, please contact Public Works as the meters are city property and not to be altered. 

  The City does not repair leaks on private property. Various local plumbing companies provide this service. 

• Does a running toilet qualify for an adjustment?

  The City’s Water Leak User Fee Adjustment Policy does not allow adjustments for leaking toilets. We encourage property owners to regularly check their toilets to ensure they are not leaking, especially in rental properties. 

   

  Alarming Fact: High-volume water leaks often come from toilets. They are hard to detect and are usually caused by worn or misaligned parts.  A silent toilet leak can be as small as 30 gallons per day (GPD). Larger leaks can be up to 6 gallons per minute!

• Is there a limit to how many times I can receive a leak adjustment?

  • Underground Leak - once every forty (40) years per property.
  • Underground Irrigation Leak - once every ten (10) years per property.
  • Above Ground Leak adjustments - once in a lifetime per property and per owner.

• I found a water leak and tightened a valve to stop the leak. Does this qualify for an adjustment?

  Valve repairs are not covered under the City of Nanaimo's Leak Adjustment Policy. 

  All repairs must be made in such a manner as to effectively prevent future leaks of a similar nature. 

  For above ground leak adjustments, a part must be restored or replaced. Tightening is not considered a repair.

• What type of water leaks will the City adjust for?

  • Underground Leak - the leak must be in the main line between the dwelling and the water meter. The entire main line must be replaced. Leaks in the meter box on the consumer side may be considered if the leak could have been reasonably detected by the consumer. 
    
  • Underground Irrigation Leak - the leak must be in the underground irrigation pipe. Leaks in the above-grade box or spray heads or rotators will not be considered.
  • Above Ground Leak adjustments - includes above ground leaks that did not result from consumer neglect and are in arears that are not designed for occupancy such as a leak in a crawl space.