A high water bill in Greater Victoria usually means a hidden leak, and the most common one is a toilet. Shut off every tap and appliance and watch your water meter: if the indicator moves, water is leaking somewhere. Then drop a dye tablet in each toilet tank. Act quickly, because leak adjustments have strict deadlines that depend on who bills your water.
How do you test for a leak using your water meter?
The Capital Regional District (CRD) gives these steps:
- Shut off all water-using appliances and fixtures on the property, including the fridge ice maker.
- Find the meter box, a concrete, metal or plastic box about 10 by 15 inches near the property line.
- Read the meter. A digital meter shows a low flow indicator. A mechanical one has a black triangle above the numerical readout or a red dial below.
- If that indicator moves while nothing is on, there is a leak.
If the meter moves, close your home's main shutoff and check again. If it stops, the leak is inside the house. If it keeps moving, the leak is on the buried line between the meter and the house. Once you know how fast water is escaping in litres per minute, the water leak cost calculator shows what that costs at Saanich or Victoria rates.
How do you test a toilet for a silent leak?
Place a dye tablet, or food colouring, in the tank. Wait 15 minutes without flushing. If the bowl water is coloured, the toilet is leaking. The CRD says a running toilet can waste 20 to 40 litres an hour, which adds up to roughly 175,200 to 350,400 litres a year. Saanich has handed out free leak detection kits through the CRD's Fix a Leak Week in March.
Where else do hidden leaks come from?
| Source | Clue |
|---|---|
| Toilet flapper or fill valve | Dye test shows colour in the bowl |
| Buried service line from the meter to the house | Meter moves with the main valve closed, or a wet or soft patch outdoors |
| Irrigation system or outdoor tap | Meter moves, but no fixture inside is on |
| Water heater relief valve or fittings | Dampness near the tank or discharge pipe |
| Leak inside a wall or under a slab | Musty smell, warm floor, mould, a spot on a ceiling |
A leak in a wall, floor or buried line is a job for a plumber. See our emergency repair service and the first 10 minutes guide for what to do while you wait. For old pipe that keeps failing, look at poly-B replacement and galvanized and cast iron pipe.
Can you get your water bill reduced after a leak?
It depends on who bills your water, and the rules are narrow. These are the two we verified:
- CRD-billed communities (Westshore and Sooke). The CRD says a residential customer can receive up to $1,000 per single family unit, only one leak adjustment is allowed per property in a 24-month period, and you have no more than 30 days from the billing date to detect, repair and submit the leak application with repair receipts.
- Saanich. Its water utility leak adjustment council policy (last amended March 2016) only covers leaks in the main underground line between the water meter and the building. It does not cover internal plumbing and fixtures, irrigation or sprinklers, or pools and ponds. The owner pays the normal estimated consumption plus 50 per cent of the extra water at the retail rate, only one adjustment is allowed per owner in 24 months, and the application must be submitted within 120 days of the leak notification with proof of repair.
So a leaking toilet or a pipe inside the house may not qualify in Saanich, while a leaking service line might. Other municipalities, including Victoria and Oak Bay, have their own policies that we did not verify, so check your own utility billing page and your bill before you assume anything. Photograph the meter reading before and after the repair, and keep every receipt.
Should a plumber look at it?
Yes if the meter moves with all fixtures off, the leak is not a toilet, or you see damp, mould or soft ground. We can trace the leak and give you the repair receipt a leak adjustment requires. For fixture work such as flappers, fill valves or shutoff valves see fixture installation. To book a visit contact us.
Frequently asked questions
How do I read my water meter for leaks?
Turn off everything that uses water, open the meter box and look for the low flow indicator on a digital meter, or the black triangle or red dial on a mechanical one. If it moves, you have a leak.
How long should I wait on the toilet dye test?
The CRD says to wait 15 minutes without flushing. Coloured water in the bowl means a leak.
Will Saanich credit a leak inside my house?
Saanich's council policy only covers leaks in the main underground line between the meter and the building. It excludes internal plumbing and fixtures and irrigation.
How soon must I apply for a leak adjustment?
It varies. The CRD says no more than 30 days from the billing date for CRD-billed Westshore and Sooke customers. Saanich allows 120 days from the leak notification date. Check your own utility.
What will a plumber need to see?
The bill showing the spike, your meter readings, and where the meter moves. After repair, keep the invoice because most adjustment programs require proof.
Sources
Last verified October 8, 2026. Rebates, codes and prices change; confirm with the program or Technical Safety BC before you rely on them.