The problem: more water than you are using
A water bill reflects what passed through the meter, not what you used. If water escapes from a line under the slab, it still passes through the meter and is charged. Because the leak does not show on the surface, the bill may be the first sign.
The pattern that suggests a leak is a rise that does not match any change in household habits, and that stays high month after month. A single spike can have an ordinary explanation. A bill that stays high across cycles, and that does not drop when guests leave or you go away, is harder to explain without a leak.
What else may go with it
Other signs may accompany the bill. A warm patch on the floor. Damp baseboards or lifting tile. The sound of water when the house is quiet. A water heater that never seems to rest. A smell of dampness in one room. Many owners have none of these, and the bill is all they have to go on.
It helps to compare your bill with the same month in earlier years, since Florida use rises in the dry season for irrigation and falls when homes are empty. The comparison is a better guide than the number alone.
Movement with everything off is worth a call.
Meter Still Moving? Call NowOther things that raise the bill
A slab leak is only one possible cause, and a good technician looks at the others. Irrigation systems, especially ones with a broken head or a stuck zone valve. A pool that is refilling because of a leak, evaporation or an auto-fill. A toilet that runs on. A dripping outdoor tap or hose bib. A leak on the line between the meter and the house.
The meter check separates some of these from a slab leak. With every fixture in the house off, a moving indicator means a leak somewhere on the property, but it does not say where. See pool leak or slab leak and irrigation and outdoor leaks versus slab leaks.
Compare with the same months in earlier years. A rise that does not match the season or your habits is the one to chase.
Do the meter check. Everything off, then watch the indicator. Include irrigation timers and the pool auto-fill if you can.
Check for obvious causes. Toilets that run on, dripping outdoor taps and sprinkler heads that are stuck on.
Note anything else. Warm floor, damp edges, hot water behavior. Tell the dispatcher.
Why leaks under the slab are slow to show
In Florida, soil is often sandy and the water table high in many areas. Water that escapes from a line under the slab can disappear into the ground without wetting the floor above, so the house looks dry. The meter is still counting every gallon.
In older slab homes with copper supply lines, wear builds over the decades, and a pinhole can run steadily without making a visible mess. That is why a bill is often the first and sometimes the only evidence. See why Florida leaks hide.
We help you tell the difference.
Pool or Slab? Talk to a Leak TechWhat to do and what not to do
Start with the meter check, and write down what you see. Look at irrigation and pool systems to make sure nothing is stuck on. Check toilets and outdoor taps. If water is surfacing, turn off the main if it is safe to reach and call.
Please do not break the floor, dig along the slab edge or try to test the plumbing yourself. And please do not assume the bill is the utility's error without checking, since the meter is usually accurate and a leak is the more common cause.
How the technician finds the source
The technician starts with what you have found. They isolate the lines on the property, including the one between the meter and the house, and pressure test the supply system to see whether it holds. If it does not, they work through acoustic listening and thermal imaging to find the position.
If the pressure test holds, the leak is not on the pressurized house lines under the slab, and the technician will point you to the next place to look, such as irrigation or a pool, without presuming to repair them. See how slab leaks are found.
Straight answers about what a bill can mean.
Speak With Someone LocalIf the leak is under the slab
Options include a spot repair through the slab, a reroute above the slab, pipe lining where suitable or wider repiping where several lines are involved. A leak that has been running for a long time may also raise the question of the condition of nearby pipe, which the technician can describe.
Upfront pricing and no hidden fees apply before work begins. See slab leak repair.
After the repair
Once the leak is repaired, the meter should be still with everything off, and the bill should come back to your normal pattern over the next cycles. Keep an eye on the next two or three statements to confirm.
Drying and cleanup of any wet flooring is handled by restoration companies. Any questions about the bill itself are for your water provider.
Comparing bills fairly
Look at the same billing period in previous years and compare use, not just cost. Rates, the length of the billing period and the number of people in the house all change the figure. A jump that cannot be explained by these is worth checking.
If the home was empty for part of the period, say so. It changes what the technician looks for.
What a technician can and cannot say
A technician can tell you whether water is leaving the plumbing and, if so, where. They cannot tell you why a bill is the amount it is, or whether a billing error exists. Questions about the bill itself go to the water provider.
If the meter is steady with everything off, the bill may have another explanation, and it is good to know that too.