Excessive Water Consumption Checklist

Does your water bill look too high? It is often not too hard to find out what has caused a sudden spike in your water bill. Once you find a problem, you'll probably know how to make corrections or when to seek professional help. Here are some items to investigate, to check out what has made your bill so high.

PDF versions of this checklist are available in English and Spanish.

Examine Your Bill

Compare your current utility bill with the previous month and the same period from previous years.

• Do you see any interest, deposits, or penalty charges?
• Are there any one-time charges for meters, service establishment or water on/off?
• Was your consumption more this month than in the same month of prior years?
• Were there more days in this billing cycle than the last billing cycle?
• Were your recent bills calculated from estimated usage or from actual usage?
• Is there a difference in the billed rates for services included on the bill?

Your Household Inside

• Did you have guests or extra laundry demands last month?
• Do you see or hear water running or dripping from toilets, faucets or sinks?
• Is there a silent leak in a toilet? To check, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Wait ten minutes. If the water in the bowl is now colored, you have a leak.
• Do you have a water softener? If so, do you see any leaks in or around it?
• Do you see any leaks or wet spots around your hot water tank, or have you had any recent repairs?
• Have you had any dishwasher or washing machine cycle issues?
• Have you had any repairs made in the last month? If so, did they use or release water in the process?

Your Household Outside

• Did you wash the windows or cars last month?
• Do you have new grass or plants?
• Have you increased the frequency or duration of watering recently?
• Does the grass in your yard have puddles or large wet spots? Are there curious, spongy areas in your lawn that ooze water when you step on them?
• Can you see any leaks in or around outdoor faucets, pipes or hoses?
• Did you do any pressure washing?

Irrigation System

• Are there wet spots in the yard or at valve boxes which might indicate leaks?
• Did you turn on your sprinkler system around the same time this year as last year? Did you stop using your sprinkler system at the same time this year as last year?
• Has the system been turned off and recently turned back on?
• Are there missing or broken sprinkler heads?
• Is the timer working?
• Have you increased or changed the frequency or duration of the watering cycles?
• Do you have a rain sensor on your irrigation system and is it working properly?

Swimming Pool / Hot Tub

• Have you filled or drained your pool or hot tub recently?
• If you have an auto-fill system, is it working properly?
• Does the water level in the pool or hot tub drop more than 1/4 inch per week?

Once you have completed this self-check, if there is still no reasonable explanation for increased usage, contact the City of Cocoa Utilities Customer Service (321) 433-8400. Please have your completed checklist when you call so we can better assist you.