This is the most common reason for a higher than normal bill, and can be caused by a number of factors including additional people living in your home and an increase of landscape watering.

While the Public Utilities Department has a high meter reading accuracy rate, errors can occur. If you believe your water meter was misread, please follow the directions below:

• First, review the instructions on how to read your meter.
• Second, compare the read that is displaying on your water meter now to the read indicated on your last water/wastewater utility bill. If the meter read printed on your bill is higher than the read that is currently displayed on your meter, take a photo of the current read on your water meter and upload the image.

Consistently saturated soil, standing water and water flow from the water meter are signs of a possible leak at your water meter. If the leak is on the property owner’s side of the meter, it is the property owner’s responsibility to repair the leak. If the leak is on the City of San Diego side of the meter, a City crew will repair the leak. To report a leak, please call the Water Emergency Hotline at 619-515-3525.

Leaks such as running toilets cause a rise in usage that increases your bill. To check for a leak on your property, follow the instructions below:

• Turn off all faucets and water-using appliances so that no water is being used anywhere in the house.
• Then check the position of the meter dial and wait. If after 30 minutes, the dials haven't moved, you have a relatively water-tight home.
• If the dial has moved, check hose connections, faucets, toilets and appliances with water lines such as dishwashers, washing machines, water heaters and refrigerators.
• If you have everything turned off and are sure the toilets and connections aren't leaking, and yet the dial is still turning, you may have a concealed leak in an underground pipe. If you believe this is the case, you may need to call a plumbing professional for leak detection services.

If you have an irrigation system on a timer, double check the timers to confirm your irrigation system is functioning as expected.

Read information about water billing rates.

Read information about sewer billing rates.

Read information about recycled water rates.

Read information about rate increases.

In the City of San Diego, each single-family domestic customer's individualized flat sewer rate is based on the amount of water used during the previous winter. This system, rather than a flat rate for all customers, more fairly apportions the costs of running the sewer system.

Every winter, primarily from November through April, the City monitors the amount of water each customer uses. These months are when the measuring takes place because that is when the highest percentage of water used is returned to the sewer system. The City monitors your water usage during the two billing cycles and uses the total from the cycle with the least amount of usage to calculate your sewer rate.

Once the monitoring period is complete, an individualized flat rate is calculated for each customer, and that rate goes into effect beginning with the bill that includes July 1 of the following year. So, by conserving water during the winter monitoring period you can lower your sewer rate during the following year.

That rate is in effect for one year and will be updated with new data every July 1. If you are new to a home, your sewer rate will be based on the citywide average until a reading can take place for you during the next winter.