Water Conservation and Leak Detection
Please visit our Water and Sewer Utility Billing page for more information or give us a call at 847-459-2500.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most high water bills are due to leaks in plumbing fixtures like humidifiers, faucets, and toilets. The best method for determining whether or not a leak exists is to take actual water meter readings. This method checks the entire internal plumbing system for any water usage.
- Take a water meter reading just before going to bed or when no one will use any water for several hours. Take another meter reading in the morning before any water is used, or after a few hours of non-usage. In theory, the two readings should be the same. If they are not, and you cannot account for use by a humidifier, ice cube maker, toilet flush, or water softener, you have a leak and further investigation is recommended.
- A great place to start is with toilets; in Buffalo Grove 90% of leaks are due to toilets, even if you can’t always hear anything. There are many excellent step-by-step videos of toilet leak detection on the internet for your reference. If you would like to try and check yourself, follow the 3 simple steps below for the most common issues found in Buffalo Grove:
- Open the tank on the back and listen and look for moving water. There should be no moving water once the tank is filled.
- Check that the water is 1” below the overflow tube.
- Check that the flapper is not leaking (dye test with plumber’s dye or food coloring).
- Parts and basic how-to knowledge can be found at your local hardware store.
- Faucets can also be the source of water leaks in the house causing high water bills. If you are uncomfortable or uncertain on how to detect a leak please consult a professional plumber.
- From May 15th until September 15th sprinkling is prohibited from Noon to 6 p.m.
- Odd number houses can water on odd days
- Even numbered houses on even days
- Seed and sod permits will be available for residences over seeding or placing sod to allow them to water on all days following the permit instructions.
Watering in the early a.m. is best as it saturates the soil allowing the plants to effectively absorb the water before it evaporates into the air.