The 20-minute meter test
Do this when nobody is home or at least when nobody is using water. You need a flashlight, a pen and your phone for photos.
- Close everything that uses waterTurn off all taps and pause the dishwasher, washer and irrigation. Make sure no one flushes. Ice makers and water softeners can cycle on their own, so note them.
- Find and open the meter boxThe meter is usually in a concrete or plastic box near the curb or the property line. Lift the lid with a screwdriver, and watch for insects. Brush off any dirt from the glass.
- Look at the flow indicatorMost meters have a small triangle, star or dial that turns when even a trickle passes. If it moves with everything off, water is going somewhere.
- Photograph the registerTake a clear photo of the numbers on the dial. These are your starting figures, so keep the lid open and the photo in focus.
- Wait 15 minutes, then read it againDo not use any water. Compare the new photo to the first. Any change in the register confirms flow.
- Close the main shutoff and repeatTurn off the valve where the line enters the house. If the indicator now stops, the leak is inside the house. If it still moves, the leak is on the line between the meter and the house.
Write down the time and both readings. A plumber can use those notes to decide where to start.
What your result means
Match your reading to the row below. The right next step depends on which part of the system is losing water.
| What you see | Likely meaning | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Indicator still moving, main shutoff closed | Leak between the meter and the house, often a buried water service line | Call a plumber for line tracing, see our water line repair work |
| Indicator stops once the main is closed | Leak inside the house: toilet, fixture, water heater or a concealed pipe | Run the dye test, then check under sinks and around the heater |
| Indicator moves only at certain times | A cycling device such as an ice maker, softener, or irrigation timer | Turn each off in turn and retest |
| Indicator is still, but the bill is high | Heavy use, a leak that is intermittent, or a billing period that was longer | Compare bills and read the meter over several days |
Check the toilets first with a dye test
A running toilet is the most common hidden leak, and it can waste a lot of water without any sound. Go through these checks, in order.
- Dye each toilet tankAdd a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet to the tank and wait 15 minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl means the flapper is leaking.
- Listen and look at the fill valveA hiss after the tank is full, or water trickling into the overflow tube, means the fill valve is out of adjustment.
- Look at every faucet and showerA dripping spout with a thin stream can lose water all day. Check the base of faucets and under sinks.
- Check the water heaterLook at the pressure relief valve pipe and the floor around the tank for dampness, since a weeping valve is a common culprit.
- Inspect irrigation and outdoor tapsLook for soggy soil, a hose bib that drips or a sprinkler head stuck open. A timer can run when you are away.
Fix what you find, then repeat the meter test. If the meter still moves, the leak is somewhere you cannot see. A professional leak detection visit uses listening gear and pressure tests to find it.
Compare your bills the right way
Look at your last six to twelve bills, not just the latest one. Compare water use in the same units, usually hundred cubic feet or gallons, and note the length of each billing period. A longer period can make a bill look higher, and a hot month can push usage up.
A sudden jump that never comes back down points to a new leak. A slow, steady climb over several months points to a leak that is growing, or to a fixture slowly wearing out. If the jump lines up with a visit from a guest, a new appliance or a garden, it may be real use.
How to ask the city about your meter
Call the City of Huntington Park Water & Sewer Division through Public Works at 323 584 6274, and have your account number ready. Ask for the date of the last meter read, the reading at the start and end of each period, and whether the read was manual or automatic.
Ask whether the city can check the meter for accuracy and what its process is for disputed bills, adjustments or leak notices. Policies differ, so ask what is available rather than assuming. Do not hold off a repair while you wait, since the leak keeps running.
When the leak is outside the house
If the indicator keeps moving with the main closed, the leak is on the service line or fittings at the meter. Signs include a soggy strip of lawn, a sunken patch of driveway, or water in the meter box.
A plumber finds a buried leak with an acoustic ground microphone and a line locator, then repairs the section or replaces the line. Ask which ends the leak and how much of the yard would be dug up. Our water line repair and replacement page covers the options.
Meter test mistakes to avoid
Do not assume the meter is wrong before you have ruled out toilets and irrigation. Do not test with a washing machine or icemaker running. Do not forget to count a pool autofill or an evaporative cooler as water use. And do not leave the meter lid off, which is a trip risk and lets dirt in.
Your water account in Huntington Park
The City of Huntington Park Water & Sewer Division serves about 6,600 service connections, with Inframark as the contract operator, so a meter question starts with Public Works. Check your bill to see who actually serves your address, because nearby towns use other providers. Homes in Bell can be billed by Golden State Water or a local mutual company, and Maywood is served by mutual water companies.
About 73 percent of occupied homes in the city are rented. If your landlord pays the bill or divides it among units, ask for the meter location and the last reads. Tenants cannot fix a buried line, so send the landlord a dated written notice that the meter test shows flow.
For the code side, the California Plumbing Code (UPC based) is the standard plumbers in the state work to, and a contractor needs a C-36 plumbing license from the CSLB to do this work.
Questions readers ask
Turn off every tap and appliance, then lift the meter lid and look at the flow indicator. If the small triangle or dial is turning, or the register changes after 15 minutes, water is moving. Close the main shutoff to learn whether the leak is inside the house.
Yes. A leaking flapper can pass water for days without making a sound. Put dye in the tank and wait 15 minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl confirms it. Replacing a flapper or fill valve is among the most common repairs.
Call the City Water & Sewer Division through Public Works. Ask about your last reads, meter accuracy and the dispute process. Check your bill first, because some nearby addresses are served by other water companies.
If you can see water pooling, the floor is warm, or the meter spins fast with everything off, close the main shutoff and call our 24/7 line. We are available nights, weekends and holidays, with same-day appointments when available.
We cannot say. Some utilities offer adjustments and others do not, and rules change. Ask the Water & Sewer Division what is possible, keep the plumber's written findings and repair invoice, and ask what documents they need.