Leak Detection in Othello, WA

In a town where water is life, a water bill is a number people watch. When it jumps, the immediate question is whether it’s the growing season or a leak, and the answer can be surprisingly hard to find. Shephard Plumbing locates leaks on Othello properties, separating irrigation lines from house plumbing, and tracking underground runs that no one has seen in years.

Separating Irrigation From the House

Many Othello properties have more than one water system. A house supply, an irrigation line, outdoor spigots, perhaps lines serving a shop, a barn, or a stock waterer. A leak in any of them raises your bill, but each requires a different approach.

Without a methodical process, it’s easy to spend money chasing the wrong problem.

We start at the meter and work outward. With everything shut off, we check whether the meter is still moving. If it is, we isolate each system in turn, house, irrigation, outbuildings, and watch for the movement to stop. When it does, we know which system has the leak, and we can focus detection there.

This approach is quick and avoids unnecessary digging. It also tells you something useful even when the answer is no leak at all.

Underground Lines and Long Runs

Rural and semi-rural properties often have long underground supply lines running from a meter or well to the house and outbuildings. Over the years, joints loosen, fittings corrode, and pipe is damaged by roots, equipment, or frost. A leak in a buried line can run for a long time without surfacing, particularly in soil that drains quickly.

We use acoustic detection and pressure testing to locate leaks in buried lines, then mark the location above ground so that any excavation is limited to a small area.

Here’s what our leak detection service includes:

• Meter testing and system-by-system isolation
• Detection of leaks in house, irrigation, and outbuilding supply lines
• Acoustic and pressure-based location of buried leaks
• Marking the leak above ground to limit excavation
• A clear repair plan and price before any work begins

Frost, Fittings, and the Slow Leaks They Cause

Cold winters are hard on exposed plumbing. Outdoor spigots and above-ground fittings can crack when they freeze, and the damage may not show until the system is pressurized in spring. A hose bib that drips, a fitting that weeps, or a valve that doesn’t seal can waste a surprising amount of water over a season.

A spring check of exterior plumbing, after the last hard freeze and before heavy irrigation begins, finds many of these problems early. Turning on each outdoor line, looking for drips, and checking the meter afterward is a simple routine.

If the check finds something, we’ll repair it. If it finds nothing, you’ll have peace of mind going into the season.

We’re happy to help Othello property owners understand where their water goes, and to find the leaks that are costing them money.

Reading Your Water Bill Like a Detective

Your water bill holds clues. Compare this billing period with the same period last year, and with the one before. Look at the gallons used, not just the dollar amount, and check whether the billing period length changed. A sudden jump, or a steady upward drift when your habits haven’t changed, deserves a look.

Seasonal patterns matter, particularly in a place with irrigation. A rise that coincides with watering season may be perfectly normal. A rise in winter, when irrigation is off, is much more suspicious. If your numbers don’t seem to match your habits, a meter test is the first step, and we’re glad to walk through it with you.

Outdoor Faucets, Hoses, and Hydrants

Hoses left connected through winter, hydrants that don’t drain fully, and spigots with worn washers account for a surprising amount of wasted water. Disconnect hoses before cold weather, make sure frost-proof fixtures slope to drain, and replace worn washers promptly. If you’ve done all that and still see a drip, call us and we’ll track it down.