If you see water coming up in your yard or in the street where the public main is located, then please contact the Holland Board of Public Works immediately at 616.355.1643.  After Business Hours, please call 616.355.1500.

If you are in danger due to a flood, then please call 911.

There is water standing in the yard and it never goes away.

This may be due a leak in the water service or a small leak in the water main.  If there is underground irrigation in the area, it may be a broken irrigation line. Contact us during normal business hours at 616.355.1643 to have our crews sample and test the water.  We will test the sample for flouride to rule out high ground water tables or poorly draining surface water.

Are water leaks costing you money?

Periodically you should:

• Check all faucets for drips. Replace worn and leaking washers, gaskets, pipes or defective fixtures.
• Check for leaks on outside faucets and make sure the valve closes properly.
• Check toilets for leaks--they are the most common cause of high bills!
• Check the overflow of the tank to make sure no water is running over (float level may be set too high)
• The flapper valve in the bottom of the tank is also a location of a possible leaking toilet. To check for a flapper valve leak, put a small amount of food coloring in the toilet tank after it has filled. Do not flush the toilet for at least an hour, or overnight if possible. If the food coloring shows up in the bowl without flushing, you probably have a leaking flapper or plunger ball valve.

The following chart shows the amount of water that can be lost to various size leaks, and billed to your account...

A dripping leak consumes: 15 gal. per day 450 gal. per month	A 1/8 in. leak consumes: 3,806 gal. per day 114,200 gal. per month
A 1/32 in. leak consumes: 264 gal. per day 7,920 gal. per month	A 1/4 in. leak consumes: 15,226 gal. per day 456,800 gal. per month
A 1/16 in. leak consumes: 943 gal. per day 28,300 gal. per month	A 1/2 in. leak consumes: 60,900 gal. per day 1,827,000 gal. per month

How to Check for Leaks

Studies show that dripping faucets and leaking toilets account for as much as 14% of all indoor water use.  That equals 10 gallons (38 liters) per person of water lost each day.

Use your water meter to check for leaks in your home.  Start by turning off all faucets and water-using appliances and make sure no one uses water during the testing period.  Take a reading on your water meter, wait for about 30 minutes, and then take a second reading. If the dial has moved, you have a leak.

Where is my water meter and how do I read it?  Your water meter is located where the water service enters your home.  For more information about your water meter, please review the Water Meter 101 sheet.

Check for Leaky Toilets

The most common source of leaks is the toilet. Check toilets for leaks by placing a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If after 15 minutes the dye shows up in the bowl, the toilet has a leak.

Leaky toilets can usually be repaired inexpensively by replacing the flapper.

Toilets can account for almost 30% of all indoor water use, more than any other fixture or appliance.

Older toilets (installed prior to 1994) use 3.5 to 7 gallons of water per flush and as much as 20 gallons per person per day.

Replacing an old toilet with a new model can save the typical household 7,900 to 21,700 gallons of water per year, cutting both your water and wastewater bills.

An average of 20% of toilets leak.

Check for Leaky Faucets

The next place to check for leaks is your sink and bathtub faucets. Replacing the rubber O-ring or washer inside the valve can usually repair dripping faucets. Use WaterWiser's Drip Calculator (near bottom of page) to measure and estimate water wasted due to leaks.

Please read our page on Water Conservation Tips for more information.