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Water Service and Meters

Water is a precious and finite resource. It is the lifeblood of the planet. Without a steady supply of clean, fresh water, all life, including human life, would cease to exist. Water powers the economy as it is a vital component in the manufacturing, agricultural, mining and resource extraction industries. Water is also a shared resource, so when you waste water you not only waste your own resource but also waste your neighbors. Therefore water conservation makes both sound environmental and economic policy.

Water conservation means doing the same with less. It is the management of water as a resource to eliminate waste and maximize the efficiency of use. Using water wisely reduces energy consumption, lowers water costs, extends the life of existing water and waste treatment facilities and minimizes the impact of the natural world.

Water meters provided the consumer with the ability to measure the amount of water consumed and correlate that consumption to cost “ the more water used “ the higher the water bill at the end of the month.

Division of Water Resources - North Central Utah

WATERING/IRRIGATION GUIDE:

  • October – No irrigation recommended
  • November - No irrigation recommended
  • December - No irrigation recommended
  • January - No irrigation recommended
  • February - No irrigation recommended
  • March - No irrigation recommended
  • April - No irrigation recommended
  • May - 21 minutes every 4 days
  • June - 21 minutes every 3 days
  • July - 21 minutes every 3 days
  • August - 21 minutes every 3 days
  • September - 21 minutes every 6 days

Minutes shown are to spray heads; double time zones for rotor heads. If you have a poor draining soil type, like clay, water 3 separate times for
7 to 9 minutes.

Ownership of Water Meter

The water meter is owned and maintained by the Water Department. Only Water Department personnel may turn the water on and off on at the meter.

The pipe that runs from the meter to your home belongs to you, the customer, and is your responsibility. Most homes have a main valve, also called a house valve. If you need to shut off water to your entire home for plumbing repairs, you should use the house valve. We encourage not trying to use the gate valve on the property side of the meter as you will be liable for any damage caused to the City equipment.

If you need to have the water turned on or off at the meter for any reason, call Municipal Utilities/Customer Service at 801-785-5045 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. If after hours please call dispatch at 801-785-3506.

STOP THE LEAKS!

Why is my water bill so high?

A high water bill may indicate you have a leak. Even a small leak can waste enough water for you to notice an increase on your bill. If there is a leak anywhere within your plumbing system, the person named on the utility bill must pay for the water used. Fix your leaks promptly to avoid paying for them each month.

Download The Rate Sheet

Common Reasons for Unusually High Utility Bills

Toilets

  • Listen and look for running water.
  • Put a few drops of food coloring into the tank. If color shows up in the bowl within ten minutes, the valve or support assembly may need to be replaced.
  • See if the ball valve drops squarely into the drain opening. If not, clean it out or replace the ball valve if it is worn.
  • Check the flush handle to see if it is stuck in the flush position.
  • Bend the float arm to lower the water level to at least one-half inch below the top of the overflow tube.
  • Replace the overflow tube if it has holes below the water level.

Faucets, Bathtubs and Showers

  • Replace worn gaskets and washers.
  • Replace washer-less faucets.
  • Tighten waterline connections and valves.

Air Conditioner/Humidifier

  • Check for water leaks.

Water Heater

  • Replace the pressure and temperature valve, if leaking.
  • Tighten the drain valve.

Water Softener

  • Look for water drips or wet areas underneath or in back of the machine.
  • Listen for running water.
  • Contact your water softener representative for service and repair information.

Dishwasher/Clothes Washer

  • Look for water drips or stains underneath or in back of the machine.

Water Service Connection

  • Look for drips or wet areas in the crawl space.
  • Place a screwdriver on the service line and listen. No noise means water is not running.

Outside Faucets

  • Replace worn gaskets and washers.

Sprinkler System

  • Disconnect hoses from outside faucets to protect against freeze damage.
  • Winterize your sprinkler system according to the system's instructions.
  • Check for any damage to sprinkler heads.
  • Make sure that all drain plugs are closed.

FINDING THE PROBLEM

If your meter does show usage on the meter test, finding the problem is the responsibility of the property owner.

An underground leak may not be apparent on the surface. Much of Pleasant Grove sits on very porous ground. Instead of causing puddles on the surface, the water drains quickly, then follows the slope of the ground along sidewalks, into gutters and storm drains. Instead of puddles or soggy spots, look for areas of lusher grass, unexpected vegetation or dark spots on the ground resulting from fungus growth.

Leak Facts

A dripping leak consumes:
15 gal. per day
450 gal. per month
A 1/8 in. leak consumes:
3,806 gal. per day
114,200 gal. per month
A 1/32 in. leak consumes:
264 gal. per day
7,920 gal. per month
A 1/4 in. leak consumes:
15,226 gal. per day
456,800 gal. per month
A 1/16 in. leak consumes:
943 gal. per day
28,300 gal. per month
A 1/2 in. leak consumes:
60,900 gal. per day
1,827,000 gal. per month


  • A leak the size of a pinhead can waste 360,000 gallons a year, enough to fill 12,000 bathtubs to the overflow mark.
  • A leaking toilet can use 90,000 gallons of water in 30 days.
  • A typical toilet leak at todays rate can add $500 to a single water bill.
If you do not have a water leak and your bill seems high, consider these questions:
  • Did you use more water keeping the grass green?
  • Did you go on vacation and leave someone else in charge of your lawn watering?
  • Do you have an automatic sprinkler system with a broken head?
  • Have you put in a new lawn, sprinkler system or pool recently?
  • Were your children playing with the water?
  • Did you do extra loads of laundry before or after a vacation?
  • Did you have friends or relatives staying with you?
  • Was your stop and waste valve properly turned off and on properly?

Need help?

There is no charge for re-reading the water meter. If your consumption is higher than normal, call our office. Many times the billing department will have already had your meter re-checked before you receive the bill. Though we try to be accurate, mistakes do happen. Do not hesitate to request a re-read if you feel it is necessary.

Please note that it is rare for a meter to over-read consumption, as meters tend to slow down as they age. In fact, we estimate that 70 percent of all residential meters in the County that are more than 10 years old under-read water consumption.

Much of the information gathered for this page was collected from the following sources: