An increase in reported use is a reason to investigate, not proof of a buried leak. Record known uses and fixture symptoms, then use your actual supplier’s guidance.
Begin with the statement, not the repair
Note the usage period, the reported volume and whether the bill changed because of use, rates or another charge. List occupancy, irrigation and appliance-use changes during that same period. The City publishes utility customer information, but the supplier named on your bill is the correct starting point for account questions. A larger bill cannot locate a concealed leak.
Use a room-by-room observation sheet
From safe, accessible positions, record dripping fixtures, a toilet that runs between uses and moisture around visible connections. Mark when each symptom appears and whether it persists with the fixture idle. Do not open electrical equipment, operate utility controls or enter unsafe water to complete the sheet. A useful record distinguishes what was seen from what is suspected.
Confirm what belongs to the utility
For water in a street or a suspected public-system concern, use the responsible utility’s official reporting process. Salt Lake City Public Utilities maintains a separate public-system emergency contact route. This plumbing website is not a utility or official emergency hotline. Ask the actual supplier to identify the responsibility boundary before authorizing work on an outside line.
Define the private-line investigation
Bring the statement, observation sheet and safe photographs to the assessment. Ask how tests would distinguish indoor use, a private supply-line issue and another source of wet ground. Keep diagnosis, access, repair, testing and surface restoration separate in the proposal. Before excavation, agree on authorization, utility coordination and the process for newly discovered conditions.
Compare two meter readings
Read the same register before and after a period with no water use. Include irrigation, appliances and automatic equipment in that pause. The EPA suggests a two-hour comparison. Enter up to six decimal places.
Entries stay in your browser and are not sent to this website. These tools organize observations; they do not diagnose a property or quote a service.
Take the next step for this problem
Private water-line assessment in Salt Lake City ↗
For address-specific utility and access context, visit Salt Lake City or your locality guide. Confirm the independent business’s availability and any assessment charge.
Related homeowner guidance
Official resources
- Salt Lake City Public Utilities: public-system and customer concerns ↗
- Salt Lake City Building Services: permits and inspections ↗
- Utah professional license verification ↗
- EPA WaterSense household leak guidance ↗
Resources provide general preparation and official contacts. They do not establish provider coverage or endorsement.