While receiving an increase in the water bill with no change in the family’s consumption pattern could be disheartening, in Vaughan, the situation is more complex than that. In Vaughan, the City of Vaughan has raised its water and wastewater rate by 3.3% starting next year (2026). For households with water consumption of 240 m3 annually, the increase would be $42.65.
However, the increase in the rate will have no significant effect on consumption. Toilet leakage, dripping taps, malfunctioning water supply connections to appliances, outdoor leaks, and pipe leaks are some factors through which water consumption increases significantly. The City of Vaughan warns that leaks are not visible; mostly, toilet leaks cause high bills for water and wastewater.
So, before criticizing the rate increase on your water bill, you need to see what your household is doing with water in silence! Below is the list of the main causes, their symptoms, and simple tests you can conduct yourself at home.
What Can Cause a Sudden Increase in Your Water Bill?
A high water bill doesn’t always indicate that your pipe is leaking. Your house could just have used up more water than usual in the two-month billing period. Vaughn bills its residents every two months based on the water consumption measured by the water meter of the premises. Just consider how things might have been different in the past few months. You could have:
- Had company at your place
- Used the washing machine more frequently
- Filled up your hot tub or swimming pool
- Watered the lawn or garden
- Washed your cars
- Used some new appliance
- Been spending more time at home
- Left the toilet or faucet running
Could a Toilet Really Make Your Bill So High?
Yes. A toilet could waste water for several hours without leaving water on your bathroom floor. A loose flapper could cause water to slowly flow from the tank into the bowl. In addition, a problematic fill valve could also lead to the toilet refilling itself without anybody flushing it. One could notice a brief hiss sound at times; however, leaks sometimes make little to no noise. In fact, the City of Vaughan identifies toilet leaks as the number one reason why people have high water and wastewater bills.
How to Check Your Toilet
One can check his/her toilet by himself/herself within some minutes.
- Firstly, one needs to open the lid of his/her toilet tank.
- After that, he/she has to drop five drops of food coloring into his/her toilet tank.
- After that, the toilet must not be flushed for about half an hour.
- Now one has to look inside the toilet bowl.
Water leakage occurs when the water becomes cultured in the toilet bowl.
Could a Hidden Pipe Leak Be Raising Your Bill?
Even an unseen water leak can waste water before you have any visible signs of trouble. There could be water leaks in the wall, under the floor, or in the basement. You may notice the presence of a damp smell, marks on the ceiling, dampness on drywall, or even just a damp spot. At other times, there may not be any of these signs present. The clear sign would be where the water meter is located.
Try a Simple Water Meter Test
Switch off all the taps and make sure that nobody is using the water. This method needs to be followed in case of washing machines, dishwashers, sprinklers, and other water-consuming appliances as well. Make sure you take the meter reading at night, and then again in the morning.
If there was any change in the meter reading despite no use of water, then it means that water was flowing through the meter during the night. This may suggest a leakage at some point within or outside your property. Vaughan suggests this nighttime test as an easy way to identify leaks.
Can a Faucet or Shower Leak Affect Your Bill?
Even though a dripping faucet may seem like such a small problem to have, it will add up over time. Take a look at all of the faucets in your house, even the ones in the basement sinks, the faucet on the washing machine, and the one for the garden hose outside.
Keep in mind that you should also examine your shower. There could be a small dripping tap from your showerhead and bath. Early identification of such problems will be relatively inexpensive compared to the next bill cycle.
Could Your Washing Machine or Dishwasher Be the Problem?
Your appliances could be the cause of unaccounted water usage as well. Your clothes washer could have an issue with its water supply hose and the connection itself. Your dishwasher could suffer from a small leakage around the inlet connector or the supply line. Look for:
- Wet floorboards
- Water marks
- Rust at the connection point
- Moisture near shut-off valves
- Strange odors
- Warped cabinets or floorboards
Can an Outdoor Leak Cause a High Water Bill?
Yes. It may be that there is a lot of water wastage happening in your backyard that you are not aware of. Check the hose bibs, sprinklers, and irrigation connections. A broken hose, a loose connection, or an irrigation leak in the backyard may cause water wastage regardless of whether the hose is being used outside or not.
Recently, Vaughan recommended checking outdoor water usage separately while trying to identify a potential leak. According to the city, it is recommended to shut off the outdoor water valve and compare the meter reading.
Also, inspect any wet patches in the yard. A green patch of grass could indicate a problem in the backyard.
Could the Water Bill Itself Be the Problem?
Sometimes the plumbing is working perfectly and the bill just needs to be analyzed a little more carefully. Look for the following before considering that there is a leak:
- Compare the current meter reading to that from the old meter.
- Find out how many days are in your billing period.
- Think about how much water is used, not how expensive it is.
- Determine whether the reading is actually correct.
How Can You Tell if You Have a Plumbing Leak?
Begin your hunt with the easiest things to check rather than immediately taking apart the walls and appliances. The following should raise suspicions about a leak:
- Meter spinning despite no water usage
- Toilet refilling automatically
- Hissing sound of running water
- Dripping faucet
- Basement having a musty smell
- Wall or ceiling showing stains
- Floors spongy around plumbing fixtures
- Pressure changing suddenly
- Certain parts of garden constantly wet
- Increase in usage not attributable to anything
What Should You Do When Your Water Bill Suddenly Jumps?
Begin by trying to ascertain whether there really is an increase in water usage before anything else. This should be done in the following sequence:
- Examine Your Latest Bills
Compare water use and not what is owed.
- Examine Every Toilet
Conduct a dye test to determine if your toilet has a leak without even hearing it.
- Examine Sinks and Appliances
Look around faucets and dishwashers, washing machines, and water heaters.
- Test the Meter
Close all faucets and observe any changes to the reading.
- Inspect Outdoor Plumbing Fixtures
Observe any hose bibs, sprinkler systems, and other wet places outside your home.
- Contact a Professional Plumber if Water Origin is Unidentified
If you still see water being used even if all fixtures are shut, then you must determine where the water flows to. A plumber can help you locate the exact source using sound professional judgment rather than guesswork.
When Should You Call a Plumber in Vaughan?
Don’t wait until you get a second unexpected high bill if you’re already seeing signs of an active leak. Contact a plumber if:
- Your meter is still moving even though all your fixtures are shut off.
- You can’t figure out where the mysterious water usage is coming from.
- You hear water flowing behind walls or beneath the floor.
- You see wet drywall or floor.
- Your toilet continues to run after basic troubleshooting.
- An appliance connection keeps leaking.
- An outside pipe or irrigation line might be the problem.
- Your water pressure fluctuates with other leak signs.
Can Vaughan Homeowners Get Help With an Accidental High Water Bill?
There is an Accidental Water Leak Adjustment Policy at Vaughan for eligible residential customers who suffer an accidental water leak due to faulty plumbing including a leaky toilet or tap. There are certain stipulations under this policy, so you need to read the terms and not automatically consider all high bills eligible. The City also advises that customers continue to pay the bill in the usual time frame as an investigation into the matter takes place. If you believe that a plumbing failure led to the abnormally high bill, you need to keep the record of this issue and its fix.
Need Help Finding the Cause of a High Water Bill in Vaughan?
An unexpected spike in your bill might be due to something as trivial as a leak in your toilet to as major as an undiscovered leak in your pipes. Start with looking at your water usage, inspecting your toilets, and observing your meter. In case it all does not add up, have your plumbing inspected rather than waiting until the next billing cycle for resolution of the problem.
If you are a homeowner living in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, Vaughan Plumbing and Sewer is here to help look into any potential leaks, faulty fixtures and other plumbing issues that are causing the increase in water consumption. Contact us at 647 547 2440 for a service call.
Conclusion
High water bills need more than just a look at the price tag. You have to assess your consumption rate, find out whether there are leaks in the toilet, see how the plumbing works, and read the meter without using water in the house. It will help you find the reasons, and later you will be saving water and money.
