Water Leaks and Usage

 Signs of a leaking toilet

• You must wiggle the handle to make a toilet stop running
• You hear sounds from an unused toilet
• You must hold the handle down to allow the tank to empty
• You see water running over the top of the overflow inside the tank cover. This is a sign that the refill valve is leaking or needs adjustment. You can sprinkle a little talcum powder on top of the water in the tank to see if the water is running over the top of the overflow pipe
• You see water dripping down the sides inside of the toilet bowl long after it has been flushed
• Water drops out of the refill tube into the overflow pipe
• A toilet runs or refills without you touching the handle

 The Dye Test

1. Remove the toilet tank cover and set it aside
2. Remove any ‘in-tank’ bowl cleaners that colour the water
3. Begin the test with clear water in the tank and bowl
4. Place enough food colouring or instant coffee in the tank’s water to get a deep colour (may stain the tank)
5. Wait 30 minutes. Your toilet is leaking if the dyed water has made its way into the toilet bowl. A proper operating toilet will store water in the tank without water running into the bowl.

 The Diagnostic Test

1. Draw a pencil line on the back wall inside the toilet tank at the waterline
2. Turn the water supply off, either under the toilet tank or at the main shutoff
3. Wait 20 to 30 minutes. If the water level remains at the pencil mark, the leak is likely occurring at the fill valve or ballcock (the unit on the left side of the tank with the float attached). If the water level falls below the pencil mark, the leak is likely occurring in the flapper valve (the unit located in the bottom center of the tank)

 The Night to Morning Read Test

1. Turn the water off to the toilet before going to bed. If you must use the toilet during the night, fill a bucket with water and dump the entire bucket of water into the toilet bowl.
2. Check the water level in the morning. If the water level is lower or even with the edges of the tank flapper, the leak is caused by either a bad flapper valve or a damaged toilet flapper valve seat. If the tank is almost empty and the water level is below the edges of the toilet valve seat, the leak may be caused by a damaged gasket under the flapper valve. In this case, the leak can appear on the floor around the base of the toilet. The toilet tank will have to be separated from the toilet bowl to change the gasket.

 Other Possible Problems with the Toilet

• Condensation could be forming on the toilet tank during humid weather
• The wax-sealing ring under the toilet bowl may have disintegrated
• The toilet bowl may be cracked
• The connections under the toilet tank may be leaking

 Other toilet tips

• The toilet tank water level should be below the overflow pipe.  If it is not, the float ball should be adjusted.  
• If you have to "jiggle" the toilet handle after flushing, adjust the chain so the flapper valve closes properly. 
• If your toilet is an older 22-litre model, consider replacing it with a modern 6-litre low-flow toilet. You will experience savings on your water and sewer bill and save water.

 If you find a leak with your toilet

If you find a leak, contact a licensed plumber right away to have it fixed. 

The Municipality has a reduction clause in the current By-law for water and wastewater bills. For more information please contact us by email or call 905-885-4544.

Outdoor water usage tips

• Only water your lawn when it needs it
• Use a rain gauge to figure out when your lawn needs watering (less than 1 inch of rain per week)
• Water your lawn when it is difficult to push a screwdriver into the soil
• Place sprinklers where the water lands on areas that need it (don’t water it if it doesn’t grow)
• Use a timer to control watering (about an inch of water flows per 30 minutes)
• Water your lawn between 6 and 10 a.m. to prevent water loss through evaporation
• Avoid watering on windy days
• Use soaker hoses to save up to 70 per cent of water usage compared to sprinklers
• Keep mower blades sharp
• Leave grass clippings on your lawn after mowing (the clippings contain 50 per cent water and they will fertilize the lawn)
• During the summer months, irrigation systems are a common source of high water use. Automated irrigation systems should be checked regularly to be sure they are functioning properly and have no leaks or broken sprinkler heads. 

Water meter leak indicator

Water meter problems

Replacing water meters

The Municipality of Port Hope has contracted Neptune Technology Group to upgrade water meters in the community. This is a mandatory program in accordance with By-law 66/2023. Currently, this program is servicing all businesses in Port Hope (large and small), including apartments, industrial, commercial, and institutional facilities.

The upgrade procedure is completely free and only requires an average of 30 to 90 minutes to complete, depending on the condition and complexity of the plumbing. The new meters come with several advantages over the outdated model such as

• improved leak detection and troubleshooting
• more accurate readings
• remote meter reads.

If you have received a letter from Neptune, which will include the Municipality of Port Hope logo, please know that this is valid. Follow the instructions on the letter to book an appointment (call 1-800-667-4387 or visit watermeterappt.com). If you have questions or would like to confirm the details of the water meter replacement program, please reach out to Mike Stewart, Manager, Water, by email or by phone at 905-885-2209 ext. 4212.

As a reminder, this program is only servicing water meters in apartments, businesses, industrial, commercial, and institutional buildings. However, the program is anticipated to expand to residential homes in 2025, stay tuned for more information on the residential program.