The main reason for high water consumption is a poorly functioning toilet. A running toilet can add $100-$200 to your water bill each year and waste 30,000 to 60,000 gallons of water. Many people think they will hear a noise if a toilet is not working properly, but this is not true.

Toilet leaks can be hard to find. They are normally caused by a bad flapper valve seal, a bad ballcock valve, an improperly positioned float arm, or defective overflow tube. Listed below are various toilet tests you should complete.

Test 1
Test the toilet for leaks by dropping dye tablets (or a few drops of food colouring) into the tank. DO NOT FLUSH. Wait 15-20 minutes. If colour appears in the bowl, you have a leak.

Test 2
Place a piece of tissue paper on the back of the toilet bowl wall. DO NOT FLUSH. If it soaks up with water, you have a leak.

Test 3
Overflow tube leaks are the most common and costly problems, but they are easy to repair. Remove the toilet lid. If water is at the top edge of the tube, you have a leak. Adjust the float arm down to keep water level 1 inch below the top of the overflow tube. If you see or hear water running, repair it right away.

Ensure the shut-off valve or all of the faucets are off before trying either of the following:

• If you have a water meter with dials on it, you will see a small red arrowhead. When the arrowhead is spinning, there is water flowing through the meter. If there is a leak, the arrowhead will not stop spinning.
• If you have a radio-frequency meter, shine a flashlight on it to activate the LCD. You will see the totalized read (9-digits with a decimal). If there is continuous flow after the meter, you will see a faucet symbol showing that water is still passing through the meter and there is a potential leak.

First, you must find the leak.

If the leak is at the meter or at any of the meter connections, it is our responsibility and the repair will be free. Call the Customer Service Centre to make an appointment. If the leak is before or beyond the meter, it is the homeowner's responsibility to repair and you may want to contact a plumber. Frozen water meters must be replaced, and the cost of the meter will be applied.

If there is standing (still) water, it is likely a sewer problem. Contact the City of Windsor through 311.

If the water is bubbling (flowing), please contact our Customer Service Centre at 519-255-2727, Option 3, to have someone from ENWIN investigate.

Call our Customer Service Centre at 519-255-2727, Option 3, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), to have it shut off at the curb box and the meter removed. There is a charge to have water services shut off at the curb box.

Pipes must be drained and sealed before freezing temperatures start, because water inside the pipes may freeze, causing pipes to break.

When locates for underground utilities are done, it is common practice to mark the location with spray paint.

From the Ontario One Call, the following codes are used:

Ozone gas is generated and injected into the water to destroy bacteria and viruses and control taste and odour-causing materials. PaCl (polyaluminum chloride) is added to produce a gelly-like floc particle that attracts and captures colour particles, bacteria, and suspended solids from the water so they can be removed.

To help the PaCl remove particles, a polymer is added to produce larger, stronger floc particles that can be more easily removed from the water during settling and filtering processes.

Liquid Chlorine is added as water leaves the treatment process, to protect it from bacteria as it travels through the distribution piping. Concentration of Chlorine is strictly controlled at 1.5 mg/l (PPM) by continuous monitoring of the treated water stream.

If you have water pressure low enough to affect the use of your shower, or toilet flushing, you should contact ENWIN, so that a qualified operator can investigate. It may be as simple as excessive use of water in your neighbourhood, or even city-wide, during the high consumption periods of summer months. Or, it could be caused by a water main break that requires a repair crew to expose and repair the system. Normally this problem is not one that you can fix yourself, unless the supply valve to your plumbing has been closed or partially closed during plumbing repairs.

Before digging, contact Ontario One Call to have them locate any buried services. This service is free. Click here to learn more.

Corrosion control is a program implemented by the Windsor Utilities Commission aimed at lowering lead levels in customers' homes and businesses that have lead service lines, lead plumbing and fixtures. The program involves adding orthophosphate (food grade phosphoric acid) at the A.H. Weeks Filtration plant between 1.5 and 2 parts per million (ppm). Over time, this small dosage will promote the creation of a protective coating internal to the pipes preventing the leaching of lead into the customers' drinking water. This method of lead corrosion control is a preferred method in many other municipalities across North America including Winnipeg (MB), Detroit (MI) and Toronto (ON) and addresses the legislative changes directed by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation & Parks (MECP).

The City of Windsor has an agreement with Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC) to offer protection for city homeowners for the water and sewer lines that connect their homes to the city’s systems. For more information on the Service Line Warranty Program, visit the City of Windsor's website here.