Homeowners are not the only ones to occasionally be stumped by the mystery of unexpected water loss. Recently in the Jacksonville area, Neptune Beach had to investigate the unaccounted for water loss of over 30% last year. Neptune Beach Public Works Department sought out a way to correct a problem they could not find but knew existed. Often times, the same scenario happens on the residential level and leads to a pricey resolution. This is why preventative action and consistent monitoring is so important to the responsible homeowner. The same essential preventative action applies to commercial leak detection, if not more so, to limit disruptions to daily operations.
Watch for the telltale signs of plumbing and slab leaks. Oddities will stand out more when you know what is normal versus odd.
“Wow, that’s odd”:
- Odd water bill increases
- Odd Odors
- Odd water meter readings
- Odd foundation gaps/holes
- Odd running water sounds
As for Neptune Beach, calculations from the Florida Rural Water Association revealed the city’s water loss to be too close to the maximum loss level.The idea of a mandatory city-wide leak detection program was broached along with mass meter functionality checks and replacement of faulty fixtures. 
After hundreds of newly installed units and the man hours spent inspecting potentially damaged areas, the fault was found in the water plant’s own outdated meter. A simple twist of a meter valve solved the city-wide problem but more importantly, it brought leak prevention and detection awareness to city officials.
Moral of the story?
Many times trial and error is the only way to determine the root of a problem. It is important to have a certified professional who will cover all the bases before implementing optional, yet sometimes beneficial, corrective actions. When you recognize the signs of possible leak trouble, the first questions anyone, certified or not, will ask are “Did you check…?” or “Have you tried…?” The more you know what you should expect, the better equipped you are to find a speedy, and hopefully inexpensive resolution.