Got a Water Leak Notice From Your City?
A high water consumption or possible-leak notice means your meter is showing continuous flow — almost always a concealed leak. Here's what it means, exactly what to do next, and how to document a possible water-bill leak adjustment, anywhere in British Columbia.
Leaks.ca is the educational leak detection hub and service-support division of Leak.ca, helping BC property owners understand leak risks and connect with professional detection services when needed.
What to Do When You Get a Notice
Understand what the notice means
A high-consumption or water-leak notice means your municipality's metering flagged unusually high or continuous water use — often a sign of a concealed leak running day and night. It is a prompt to investigate, not a penalty.
Don't ignore it — but don't tear into walls either
A continuous leak wastes water and can quietly damage your property and inflate every future bill. The safe response is a professional assessment, not opening walls or digging on a guess.
Get a professional leak assessment
Certified technicians locate the leak non-invasively with acoustic, thermal, tracer-gas and correlation methods — pinpointing the source so any repair is small and targeted, whether the leak is indoors, under a slab, or on the buried service line.
Repair, then document for a possible bill adjustment
Once the leak is located and repaired, a documented assessment supports two things: an insurance claim for any resulting damage, and an application for a water/sewer leak adjustment if your municipality offers one.
Many British Columbia municipalities offer a one-time water and/or sewer leak adjustment — a partial credit on the bill — when a concealed leak is located, repaired and documented. Eligibility, limits and the process vary by city, so confirm the current policy with yours. The common thread is documentation: a professional leak-detection report establishes the leak's location and that it was repaired, which is exactly what these applications ask for.
Every Property Type
If your city sent a high-consumption or leak notice to your home, a hidden leak is the most likely cause — and the sooner it's located, the smaller the repair and the bill.
A water-leak notice on a commercial property is both a cost and a continuity risk — and on a metered commercial account, the wasted water adds up fast.
Public buildings and institutional campuses face leak notices too — and here the response must be documented to a public-accountability standard.
Water Leak Notices by BC City
City-specific guidance for 54 British Columbia communities — what your notice means locally and how the leak gets found.
Metro Vancouver
Fraser Valley
Vancouver Island
Sea-to-Sky
Sunshine Coast
Okanagan
Thompson–Nicola
Kootenays
Northern BC
Water Leak Notice FAQ
It's a notification from your municipality — sometimes called a high water consumption notice, water use alert or possible-leak notification — sent when your meter shows unusually high or continuous flow. Many BC cities now use automated meters that detect non-stop water use and flag it as a likely leak.
Most leaks that trigger a notice are concealed — inside walls, under a slab, or on the buried service line between the meter and the building. They run continuously without surfacing, which is exactly why the meter catches them before you do.
Arrange a professional leak assessment rather than guessing or opening up the building. Technicians pinpoint the source non-invasively; once it's repaired, the documentation supports an insurance claim for any damage and an application for a municipal leak adjustment if one is offered.
Many BC municipalities offer a one-time water and/or sewer leak adjustment for a documented, repaired concealed leak, but eligibility and amounts vary by city — confirm with yours. A professional leak-detection report documents the location and repair that these applications typically require.
Leaks.ca is the educational hub. Professional, on-site leak detection and documentation across British Columbia are provided by our service partner Leak.ca.
Find the leak behind your notice
A flagged leak runs until it's found. Certified technicians locate it non-invasively and document it for your bill adjustment and insurance. Leaks.ca is the educational division — for booking and on-site detection across British Columbia, our service partner Leak.ca handles professional assessments.
Educational hub & service-support division of Leak.ca · Serving all of British Columbia · Since 1999