Utilities
The City of Macclenny’s Utilities Department provides water and wastewater services to both residential and commercial customers. The utility department’s goal is to provide timely, comprehensive, and accurate utility bills to our City’s customers. Our employees strive to provide courteous, adequate, and professional assistance with all of our customers’ utility needs.
The St. Johns River Water Management District has ruled year-round that outdoor irrigation is only allowed before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. only! To learn more about the new watering restrictions that are in effect, please click here: “Watering Restrictions“.
For more information on our utility services, please call 904-259-6261 or email us at: utilities@cityofmacclenny.com
Water meters and high utility bills: why is my utility bill higher this month?
Is your water bill suddenly higher than expected? While no one enjoys paying bills, it’s even more jarring when there’s a big spike in your water usage even if your water habits haven’t changed. You might assume something is wrong with your water meter, but the real issue could be a leak somewhere in your plumbing system. Running a few tests can help you determine why you’re suddenly seeing an increase in your water bill.
Leaks vs. Inaccuracies
Water meter inaccuracies are relatively rare, so it’s important to investigate other causes when your water bill is higher than normal. Leaks in your plumbing system are often the cause of a suddenly higher bill. While some leaks are obvious, many pipes are hidden behind walls, and you won’t notice the leaks until they cause serious water damage. Starting with a few meter checks can help you determine if it’s accurate. If it’s accurate, it’s time to start looking for the leaks.
Read the Meter
If you don’t know where it is, locating your water meter is the first step. It’s often near the curb in the ground and is covered with a lid. Depending on the age of the meter box, the lid might be labeled. Pop the lid off to find the meter.
Record the reading on the meter. Then, check the reading from your last water bill. If what you’re seeing on your meter is lower than what the bill says, then you need to call our Utility Department at 904-259-6261. You can request a new reading if this happens. If the reading is higher than what the bill says, you can eliminate a bad reading as the cause.
Check for Leaks
Finding water leaks isn’t always easy. One way to check is by watching the flow indicator. It’s a small LCD indicator (spigot) that flashes, and it can detect even tiny amounts of water flowing. Make sure no one uses any water fixtures or appliances in your home and watch the flow or leak indicator to see if it flashes and also see if the meter reading is counting up or adding more gallons to the reading. If it does, you likely have a leak.
Inspect in and around your home to narrow down the location of the leak. Start with exposed pipes where you can easily see drips. Continue through finished areas, looking closely on walls, floors, and ceilings for dampness, drips, soft drywall, or water stains. Check outside for underground pipe leaks by looking for wet or muddy spots when the weather has been dry or grass that’s greener than the rest.
A leaking toilet can often be the culprit. A slow leak can use up to 30 gallons of water per day, a medium leak up to 250 gallons daily, and a large leak can use a whopping 4,000 gallon of water per day. A single leaking faucet can also add up to 30 gallons of water used per month. So watch for leaks.
Do a Bucket Test
If there’s no sign of leaking, do a bucket test to check the meter accuracy. Ensure no one is using water anywhere in the house while you run the test. Write down the exact reading on the water meter. Our water meters are set to read in gallons.
If you fill a 1 gallon bucket with water (and if water is not being used elsewhere), the meter should go up by that amount. To make it easier, fill a 5 gallon bucket three times to use 15 gallons of water. The reading should go up by 15 gallons.
If the meter moves as expected, it’s likely working correctly. If not, you could have a faulty water meter. Contact our Utility Department at 904-259-6261.
Keep a Log
Recording your water meter reading every month to create a log that can help you track differences and major changes quickly. Write down the meter reading on the same day each month to get a good idea of how much water you typically use.