Monthly Water Leak Reporting | City of Friendsville, TN

Welcome to our Monthly Water Leak Reporting page, lovingly known as the “Why Is My Water Bill So High This Month?” list.

After each month's meter readings are processed, we upload a list of all active leak alerts to this page.

To see if you're on the list, you’ll need your account number.

🔒 Privacy First
We never post names, addresses, or account numbers.
Your meter may spill the tea on a leak, but we won’t.

Thanks to our upgraded smart meters, we can detect unusually high water usage over 12 hours. During our monthly readings, the system alerts us if something looks suspicious and labels the severity as:

🔴 Critical 🟠 Major 🟢 Minor

After each month's meter readings are processed, we upload a list of all active leak alerts to this page.

To see if you're on the list, you’ll need your account number.

🔒 Privacy First
We never post names, addresses, or account numbers.
Your meter may spill the tea on a leak, but we won’t.

HIGH BILL? HUNT THE DRIP!

Stop the drip before it hits your bill!

Before calling about high water usage, take a few minutes to check for leaks. Even a small leak can waste hundreds or thousands of gallons of water and may push your usage into the next billing increment.

CHECK INSIDE & OUTSIDE YOUR HOME

Start with the usual suspects:

Check under sinks and around faucets for drips.
Check outside spigots, hoses, and irrigation systems.
Look around water heaters and other water-using appliances.
Listen to toilets that continue running after flushing.

GIVE YOUR TOILET THE COLOR TEST

A toilet can leak without making a sound!

Add a few drops of food coloring to the toilet tank.
Do not flush.
Wait 45–60 minutes.
Check the toilet bowl.

Color in the bowl? You've found a leak!

LET YOUR WATER METER BE THE DETECTIVE

Your water meter can help uncover leaks you can't see.

How to Check Your Meter for a Leak

Turn off ALL water. Make sure faucets, washing machines, dishwashers, irrigation systems, and other water-using fixtures are off.
Locate your water meter. It is generally located near the curb or property line.
Check the leak/low-flow indicator. Look for a small spinning wheel, triangle, star, or other movement indicator.
Watch for movement. If it moves while everything is turned off and water is still flowing, you may have a leak.
No leak indicator? Write down the exact meter reading.
Wait two hours. Do not use any water during the test.
Check the reading again. If the meter reading has changed, water was used somewhere during the testing period.

NARROW DOWN THE SEARCH

If your home has a main water shut-off valve, turn it off and check the meter again.

Is the meter still showing water usage?

The leak may be on the water service line between the meter and your home.

WANT THE FULL STORY?

Still trying to figure out where all that water went?

You may request a Detailed Hourly Usage Profile to get a closer look at when water was used.

A technician will meet you at the meter to gather the data.
Cost: $40.00

Your water usage tells a story. A detailed usage profile may help you identify unusual usage patterns.

MONTHLY BASE RATES

First 1,000 Gallons Included

Meter Size	Monthly Base Charge
5/8"	$34.94
1"	$52.89
2"	$61.65
4"	$123.36
6"	$184.99

After the first 1,000 gallons: $10.18 for each additional 1,000 gallons or portion thereof, regardless of meter size.

HOW CAN A LEAK AFFECT YOUR BILL?

Your monthly base charge includes the first 1,000 gallons of water usage.

After the first 1,000 gallons, water is billed at:

$10.18 per additional 1,000 gallons OR ANY PORTION THEREOF.

This means a leak can push your total monthly usage into one or more additional billing increments.

SMALL LEAK. BIG IMPACT.

A leak doesn't have to look dramatic to waste a lot of water.

Estimated Water Loss

Leak Type / Size	Estimated Gallons Lost Per Month
Slow Faucet Drip	450 gallons
Running Toilet – Average	7,500 gallons
1/32" Pinhole Leak	7,920 gallons
1/16" Supply Line Leak	28,290 gallons
1/8" Broken Joint / Crack	114,180 gallons
1/4" Main Line Break	456,780 gallons

Water-loss amounts are estimates. Actual water loss may vary depending on water pressure, the type and location of the leak, and how long the leak continues.