A Tucson Homeowner’s Guide to Finding Where the
Water Is Going
By Brian Dunn, Owner | Dunn Plumbing & Drain Service LLC
Contributions from Cory Harding, Senior Plumbing Expert
You open your water bill and immediately think:
There is no way we used that much water.
Nobody filled a swimming pool.
Nobody started a backyard water park.
And as far as you know, no one has been secretly running the garden hose at 3 a.m.
So where did all that water go?
A sudden unexplained increase in water use can be one of the earliest signs of a hidden plumbing leak.
Tucson Water tells customers who receive unusually high usage alerts that leaks may occur in many places, including:
And some leaks are slow enough that you may never see a puddle.
That is why your water bill can sometimes notice the problem before you do.
Quick Answer: Can a Hidden Leak Make My Water Bill Go Up?
Yes.
If your household habits have not changed but water consumption rises significantly, investigate.
First, consider legitimate changes such as:
- More people staying in the home
- Pool filling
- Increased irrigation
- Evaporative-cooler use
- Visitors
- Construction
- New landscaping
- Seasonal usage
If none of those explains it, check for a leak.
A hidden leak can run:
24 hours a day.
That is 720 hours in a 30-day billing period.
Even a relatively small continuous loss can become noticeable when it never stops.
Before Calling a Plumber: Compare Your Water Usage
Do not look only at the dollar amount.
Look at water consumption.
Your bill can change because:
The most useful comparison is often:
How much water did we use this month versus our normal usage?
Tucson Water bills usage based on meter readings.
If consumption suddenly jumped but household behavior did not, that is a reason to investigate further.
Brian Dunn’s Advice: Start With the Meter
If you suspect a hidden leak, your water meter is one of the best places to begin.
Tucson Water recommends shutting off all known water use and observing the meter.
That means:
Then observe the meter.
Mechanical meter
Note the dial position.
Wait 15–30 minutes without using water.
If it moves, water may be flowing somewhere.
Digital meter
Look at the flow-rate screen.
If everything is off but the flow rate is above zero, something may still be using water.
You do not have to know where the leak is yet.
At this point you’re answering a simpler question:
“Is water moving when it shouldn’t be?”
Cory’s Corner: Don’t Forget the Toilet
Hidden leaks are not always underground.
Sometimes they are sitting quietly in the bathroom.
A toilet can leak internally without putting water on the floor.
Water passes from the tank into the bowl and down the drain.
No puddle.
No wet wall.
No obvious broken pipe.
Just water continually entering the sewer.
Possible clues include:
A simple toilet leak can quietly add water usage day and night.
Before assuming you need excavation, check the boring things first.
Boring is still our favorite plumbing diagnosis.
Common Hidden-Leak Location #1: The Service Line
The pipe between your water meter and your home can leak underground.
Because the leak is buried, you may initially notice:
Sometimes there is no obvious wet spot at all.
That is a strong clue that the underground service line deserves investigation.
Tucson Water’s meter guidance provides a helpful isolation test: if you close the home’s private shutoff valve but the meter continues showing flow, the water loss may be occurring between the meter and the house.
Explore our article about wet ground around your water meter.
Common Hidden-Leak Location #2: Irrigation
Tucson homeowners cannot ignore irrigation.
A cracked drip line, broken emitter, leaking irrigation valve, or underground sprinkler problem can use substantial water without being obvious.
Especially when the irrigation runs:
you may never see it operating.
Look for:
If one bougainvillea suddenly looks like it has discovered the Fountain of Youth, investigate.
Common Hidden-Leak Location #3: Water Heater
A water heater may leak slowly before failing dramatically.
Check around:
A small leak can migrate beneath flooring or into walls before becoming obvious.
If the heater is actively releasing water or threatening property, that can become an emergency. Discover what qualifies as a plumbing emergency.
Common Hidden-Leak Location #4: Under the Slab
Slab leaks can be intimidating because the piping is not visible.
Possible warning signs include:
The key is not to assume every high bill is a slab leak.
Professional leak detection should narrow down the source before anyone begins opening concrete.
As Brian would say:
Find it first. Fix it second.
Common Hidden-Leak Location #5: Water Treatment Equipment
Homeowners sometimes forget that:
also use water.
Malfunctioning equipment can create unexpected usage.
If the bill rises after installing or servicing treatment equipment, include it in the investigation.
Common Hidden-Leak Location #6: Pool or Spa
A Tucson pool naturally loses water through evaporation.
But unusually frequent filling may indicate more than normal evaporation.
Pay attention if:
Pool leaks often require specialty evaluation depending on where the leak is located.
Real Job Spotlight: The Water Bill Knew Before the Homeowner Did
Three Leaks, Two Visits, One Better Water Bill
By the time this homeowner called Dunn Plumbing, she was frustrated.
She had already contacted three different companies trying to figure out why her water bill was so high.
Still no clear answer.
When Dunn Plumbing arrived, we treated it like what hidden-leak work often becomes:
A detective case.
On the first visit, we located two separate problems.
One was in the irrigation system.
The other was an older toilet inside the home that was quietly using far more water than it should.
Neither problem looked especially dramatic, but together they were costing the homeowner hundreds of extra dollars every month.
We repaired those issues and replaced the old toilet with a more efficient low-flow model.
Problem solved?
Almost.
There was still something that did not quite add up.
That brought us back for a second visit.
The third leak turned out to be the sneaky one.
It was connected to the pool system, which operated on a timer. During our first inspection, it was not actively running, so the leak never introduced itself.
On the second visit, we caught it in action.
Mystery solved.
And because we were continuing the original leak investigation, the second trip did not cost the homeowner anything.
After all three leaks were addressed, something pretty satisfying happened:
Her next water bill was not just better.
It was lower than her normal bill because the new low-flow toilet was using less water than the old one had even before the leaks started.
After three companies and a lot of frustration, the homeowner finally had answers.
Hidden leaks are not always obvious.
Sometimes there is one leak.
Sometimes there are three.
And sometimes the last one waits for a timer before it decides to confess.
Leak detection is often a process of elimination. The important thing is to keep following the evidence until the numbers finally make sense.
How Can I Narrow Down Where the Leak Is?
Use a process.
Step 1: Stop all water use.
Step 2: Check meter flow.
If no movement occurs, monitor and compare again.
If water is moving, continue.
Step 3: Turn off the home’s private shutoff.
Meter still moving?
Suspect the service line between meter and house.
Meter stops?
Leak may be downstream within the home/property system.
Step 4: Inspect obvious fixtures.
Check:
Step 5: Call for professional leak detection if the source remains hidden.
This gives the technician useful information before arriving.
What Does Professional Leak Detection Do?
Dunn Plumbing offers leak detection for leaks:
The purpose is to reduce guessing.
Depending on the situation, technicians may use:
Dunn Plumbing currently advertises a leak-detection guarantee: if the team cannot find the leak, the customer does not pay for the leak-location service. Learn more about Dunn Plumbing’s professional leak detection in Tucson.
Real Job Lesson: Why Locating First Matters
Real Job Spotlight: Sometimes the Wall Has to Be Opened
A homeowner called Dunn Plumbing because water was leaking somewhere inside the wall.
After a careful inspection, we reached the point every homeowner hopes to avoid:
We needed to open the wall.
Nobody gets excited about that sentence.
But there were two important reasons.
First, we needed access to see exactly what was leaking, how much pipe was affected, and what kind of repair would actually solve the problem.
Second—and just as important—we needed the area opened so the wall cavity could be properly dried.
Stopping the leak is only part of a healthy repair. If moisture is trapped behind drywall, inside insulation, or around framing, the homeowner can be left with a second problem later.
The pipe may be fixed, but a damp wall is not finished business.
Once the leak was repaired, the homeowner asked:
“Will you fix the drywall too?”
Our answer was simple.
Plumbing technicians are trained to repair plumbing. Drywall professionals are trained to make walls look like they were never opened.
Could a plumber attempt the drywall?
Maybe.
But think about it this way:
Would you want your drywall expert replacing the pipe inside your wall?
Probably not.
The expertise goes both ways.
At Dunn Plumbing, we take pride in opening only as much wall as necessary to access the plumbing, make the repair, and allow the affected area to dry properly.
Once the leak was fixed and everything was dry, the drywall professionals came in and finished the cosmetic repair.
The result?
Healthy plumbing behind the wall, a properly dried repair area, and a finished wall that looked right again.
The goal is not just to stop the leak. It is to make sure the whole repair is done correctly—from the pipe to the wall around it.
Do not confuse:
“There is a leak somewhere under this area.”
with:
“We need to open everything.”
Locating matters.
What If Tucson Water Sends Me a High-Usage Alert?
Take it seriously.
Tucson Water says that when unusually high usage cannot be explained by known water use, a leak may exist.
Tucson Water offers a High Bill Investigation that can:
Tucson Water does not locate private-property leaks, but its meter investigation can help determine whether the meter itself appears to be functioning and whether continuous flow is present.
Then a plumber can take over where private plumbing investigation is needed.
Can I Get Help With a High Water Bill Caused by a Leak?
Possibly.
Tucson Water currently offers certain bill adjustments for qualifying high-use situations involving leaks, theft, vandalism, or unexplained high usage.
Eligibility rules apply.
For example, Tucson Water currently states that qualifying usage must return to normal, meet a minimum high-use threshold, fall within the eligible time window, and satisfy limits regarding previous adjustments.
So if you repair a leak:
Keep your invoice and repair documentation.
Then contact Tucson Water and ask whether your account qualifies for a high-water-use adjustment.
That paperwork you were about to throw into the glove box may suddenly become interesting.
What a Tucson Homeowner Said After Finding a Hidden Leak
“DUNN completed an entire repiping and hydrojetting, it was a 3 day job, the techs Mario, KC, Daniel, Damien and Bobby were great, very respectful and were able to answer all my questions. DUNN went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable and did Lil extra small work for me also without charge.”
– Julie J
When Does a Hidden Leak Become an Emergency?
Call immediately when:
Schedule leak detection promptly when:
Not every hidden leak is a 2 a.m. emergency.
But hidden does not mean harmless.
High Water Bill Checklist
Before calling:
Explore our recent article about questions to ask a plumber before hiring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brian Dunn’s Final Advice
Do not ignore a bill that suddenly does not make sense.
A bill is information.
A meter is information.
A wet spot is information.
Brian’s philosophy is to use that information before a small problem becomes a major repair.
He believes homeowners benefit from professional evaluation and proactive maintenance because understanding the plumbing system can prevent expensive surprises. Discover the benefits of plumbing maintenance.
Cory Harding’s Final Advice
Cory says:
“Be proactive versus reactive. No one likes to come home to a flood after a hard day’s work.”
That advice applies just as much to your water bill as it does to a visible leak.
If the numbers suddenly tell you something changed, investigate before the plumbing gives you a more dramatic explanation.
The Dunn Plumbing Promise
At Dunn Plumbing & Drain Service LLC, we believe leak detection should come before unnecessary demolition.
First:
Confirm water is being lost.
Then:
Narrow down where.
Then:
Locate it as accurately as possible.
Then discuss repair.
Dunn Plumbing offers professional leak detection and water-line repair throughout Tucson and surrounding Southern Arizona communities.
Call Dunn Plumbing & Drain Service LLC: (520) 310-0551
GBP:
Water Bill Suddenly Too High? You Could Have a Hidden Plumbing Leak!
An unexpected increase in your water bill could mean water is leaking somewhere in your Tucson home—even if you can’t see it.
In our latest blog, Dunn Plumbing and Drain Service explains how to investigate rising water bills, identify six common hidden leak locations, and recognize when it’s time to call a professional plumber.
✅ Bonus: Use our Water Bill Checklist to help track down potential problems!
👉 Read our homeowner’s guide and learn how to spot hidden leaks before they cause costly damage.
Your Water Bill Went Up, but Your Water Usage Didn’t?
A hidden plumbing leak could be the culprit! 💧
Leaks aren’t always obvious. Water may be escaping behind walls, beneath floors, around toilets, or through underground plumbing—without leaving visible signs right away.
🔎 In our new blog, “My Water Bill Is Too High: Could I Have a Hidden Leak?”, we cover:
✅ How to investigate a sudden increase in your water bill
✅ Six places hidden plumbing leaks commonly occur
✅ Warning signs that a leak needs immediate attention
✅ When to call a professional plumber
📋 Plus, we’ve included a practical Water Bill Checklist to help Tucson homeowners investigate unusually high water bills.
Don’t let a small, unnoticed leak turn into an expensive plumbing repair!
👉 Read our latest guide and learn what to check first.
