Leak Detection
Pinpoint concealed water loss in walls, floors or buried pipe using listening gear and pressure tests.
Plumbing guide
Why Is My Water Bill So High in Goodyear, AZ? Causes
A water bill that climbs without any change in your habits is a signal. Sometimes the cause is seasonal. Sometimes water is leaking where you cannot see it.
By the Goodyear Express Plumbing team ·
Read the bill like a detective
Start by comparing the last several months. Look at the usage figure, not just the dollar amount, since rates and fees can change. A gradual climb across months hints at a slow leak or a seasonal pattern. A one month spike points to an event, such as a broken irrigation line, a filled pool or a visit from guests.
Check the billing dates too. A longer billing period can make a bill look higher without any extra use.
Seasonal use in a desert climate
Summer pushes water use up in the Valley. Lawns, trees, pools and evaporative coolers all draw more when highs stay above 100 degrees. A change in the irrigation schedule, a new tree or a new patch of sod can add a lot of water without anyone noticing.
If the rise lines up with warm weather and you changed nothing else, the cause may be watering. Check the controller for extra start times and zones that run too long.
The toilet that never quite stops
A running toilet can waste a surprising amount of water. Many leak silently into the bowl at the flapper. Drop food coloring in the tank and wait fifteen minutes. If color shows up in the bowl, the flapper needs replacing, a job covered in toilet repair.
Also listen for hissing after a flush, which suggests a fill valve problem.
Hidden leaks in lines and fixtures
A dripping faucet, a leaking supply line under a sink or a hot water line under the slab can all raise a bill. The best test is the meter. With every fixture off, a moving indicator means water is escaping. See our guide on how to find hidden leaks for what a technician checks.
Water pressure above normal can also stress joints and fixtures, so a plumber may test pressure during a visit.
Match the pattern to a cause
How the bill changed hints at where to look first.
| Pattern | Probable cause | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| One expensive month | Irrigation break, pool fill or guests | The controller and the yard |
| Gradual increase | Slow leak or running toilet | Meter test and a dye test |
| Higher only in summer | More watering and evaporation | Run times and schedules |
| Up with nothing visible | Concealed or slab leak | Professional listening equipment |
Pools, spas and irrigation
Pool autofill valves, drip lines with a broken emitter and sprinkler heads knocked off by a mower can run for days. A pool that needs frequent topping off deserves a bucket test. Irrigation leaks often show as green, soggy or sunken patches.
Switch off the irrigation controller for a day and watch the meter. If it stops spinning, the system is the source.
Water heater and softener causes
A water heater with a stuck relief valve or a leaking connection can drip into a drain pan or out of sight. A softener or filter stuck in a regeneration cycle can run water to the drain continuously. Look for sound and for water at the discharge hose.
If you have a recirculation pump, a timer that runs all day raises heating costs, though not the water bill.
What to do next
Run the meter test, check toilets, look at the irrigation controller and walk the yard. If you still cannot explain the bill, call. Your water provider can also tell you about usage patterns, and some offer leak alerts. A plumber with listening and thermal tools can find the rest.
Keep the bill and the meter photos. They show a technician exactly when the change began.
Cutting the bill after the fix
Once the cause is repaired, give the meter a few days and compare. Install a faucet aerator or a low flow showerhead if you want to trim use further. Water the yard in the early morning and adjust the schedule through the seasons, since plants need less in cooler months.
Consider a smart irrigation controller that skips watering after rain, and check sprinkler heads each spring. A small adjustment in a big yard adds up quickly over a hot summer.
Finally, set a calendar reminder to read the meter on the first of each month. A five minute habit catches the next leak before it becomes a bill you remember.
Questions for your water provider
Call the provider and ask for the daily or monthly usage history, the meter read dates and whether an estimate was used. Ask whether the meter was recently replaced or tested, and whether any programs help customers with leaks.
A short call often resolves a puzzling bill. Have the account number ready.
Shared and rental situations
In a rental or a home with a casita, check whether the meter serves more than one unit. A tenant's pool or garden may be on the same meter. Ask the landlord who is responsible for leaks before calling a contractor.
Multi-unit buildings often have a main meter and sub meters that explain different bills.
Fixtures that add up
Showers are a large daily use. A showerhead that leaks past its seal, a faucet that drips one drop a second and a hose left running add up fast. Check for drips and fix them promptly. See faucet and sink repair.
Dishwashers and washing machines with failing valves can also run longer than needed.
If the bill is still unexplained
Ask a plumber for a leak check with listening gear. They can test each section and tell you what is normal. If no leak is found, you have ruled out a costly problem and can focus on habits and watering.
Common questions
High water bill questions
Leaks past the meter are usually the owner's responsibility. Ask your provider whether any adjustment programs exist.
Open the lid and read the dial. Look at the leak indicator, which spins with any flow.
Hardness does not change how much water you use, but scale can cause fixtures to waste water.
Check the bill dates and the meter reading the utility used. Ask them to confirm the reading.
Related services
Toilet Repair & Installation
Stop a running, rocking, leaking or clogged toilet, or set a new bowl.
Faucet & Sink Repair
Cure drips, weak flow, stuck stop valves and puddles in the cabinet below.
More plumbing guides
How to find a water leak in your house
Work from the meter inward, then through toilets, sinks and the yard, to find where water is escaping.
Running toilet: how to fix it
A toilet that hisses or refills by itself wastes water. Work out which part is failing.
Pool leak bucket test
Use a bucket and a pen to decide if your pool is losing water to the sun or to a crack.
Bill rising with no clear reason?
Call and describe your meter test. The dispatcher will find a contractor for you.