FAQs • How do I check for a water leak?

How do I check for a water leak?: Make sure all water systems are turned off (kitchen faucet, bathrooms, irrigation system, hose bibbs, etc.). Check your water meter and examine if any dials are moving. If a dial is moving, then there is a leak on your side of the meter.

Water / Sewer

1. When are the meters read?: Typically the meters are read the last three to four work days of every month.

2. What is my watering day?: Irrigation of landscaped areas with hose-end sprinklers, soaker hoses, or automatic irrigation systems shall be limited to once a week between the hours of midnight to 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight on the authorized watering day according to the following schedule (no weekend watering): Street Address Ending in: 0 or 1 - Monday 2 or 3 - Tuesday 4 or 5 - Wednesday 6 or 7 - Thursday 8 or 9 - Friday

3. What forms of payment are accepted to pay for water/sewer bills?: The City accepts cash, check, VISA, Mastercard or Discover (2.5% fee applies), and bank draft.

4. How do I check for a water leak?: Make sure all water systems are turned off (kitchen faucet, bathrooms, irrigation system, hose bibbs, etc.). Check your water meter and examine if any dials are moving. If a dial is moving, then there is a leak on your side of the meter.

5. I just installed a new water softener, what is the City's water hardness level?: You can find the latest recorded water hardness in the annual Water Quality Report. Note that the water hardness is typically recorded in mg/L; however, several water softener manufacturers require one to know the grains/gallon concentration. The conversion factor is 1 grain/gallon (US) = 17.1180612106 mg/L. For example: if the City's water hardness is 200 mg/L, then the conversion calculates to 11.68 grains/gallon.
In the 2015 Annual Drinking Water Report the average hardness as Ca/Mg level was 267.7 mg/L. This calculates as 15.64 grains/gallon. 2015 Water Quality Report

6. How do I turn the water off to my house if I need plumbing work done?: You should call the Fair Oaks Ranch Utility Department at 210-698-7685 and have a technician come by your home to turn the water off at the meter using the curb stop. Unless it's an emergency situation, only city utility technicians are authorized to turn the water on and off using the curb stop. City Ordinance requires all new homes to have a cut-off valve installed on the customer side within three (3) feet of the meter. Installation of your own cut-off valve will allow you to turn your water on and off when you wish and will avoid the chance of damaging city equipment.