High Water Bill & Leak Cost Calculator

Turn an unexplained increase in water usage into an equivalent continuous flow and an approximate usage cost.

Compare your water usage

Compare periods with the same number of days and similar household conditions. This calculator uses gallons.

Use a typical period with the same number of days. If needed, scale the normal usage to match the current billing period.

Use metered gallons, not your bill total. Convert other billing units to gallons first.

Use the actual number of days covered by your current usage. Decimal days are accepted.

Enter your applicable marginal water/sewer usage rate. Leave blank if unknown; there is no universal water price.

How it works

We compare your current water use with a normal billing period to find the extra gallons used. Then we convert that increase into an equivalent continuous flow rate so you can see what that extra usage would look like if it happened steadily throughout the billing period.

If you enter your water/sewer usage rate, we'll also estimate what the extra water is costing you and project the waste if the same rate continues.

Understanding the estimate

An equivalent continuous flow does not mean a leak definitely exists. Extra water can come from leaks, running toilets, irrigation, appliances, meter or billing issues, or other usage. Seasonal changes, occupancy and unequal billing periods can also affect the comparison.

A useful next step is to turn off known water uses and observe whether your water meter continues registering flow. Investigate unexplained continuous usage with your utility or a qualified plumber; this tool cannot identify its source.

Water bills may include water and sewer usage charges, fixed service charges, tiered pricing, taxes and fees. Use the applicable marginal usage rate when possible. Do not automatically divide the whole bill by gallons: fixed charges are not extra usage costs. Your actual bill increase can differ from this estimate, and some water use may not incur sewer charges.

Estimate only. This is a mathematical comparison, not a leak diagnosis or an exact prediction of your bill.