The short answer
Yes, most water utilities in Northern Virginia will credit part of a high bill caused by a leak, once you fix it and prove it. Fairfax Water gives one courtesy leak adjustment every five years. Loudoun Water gives one per account for a leak inside the house. Arlington allows two inside-leak adjustments in five years. Every one of them wants the same thing: the leak fixed fast, and a receipt or a plumber’s invoice that says so.
Who gives what
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| Utility | How often | What they want and what you get |
|---|---|---|
| Fairfax Water | Once every five years | Prompt repair, then copies of receipts or an invoice with their form. An answer in about two weeks. |
| Loudoun Water | Once per account for a leak inside the house | A letter and proof of repair. Credit is water and sewer, measured against your average for the same quarters over three years, for up to two quarters. If they tell you about the leak, you have 30 days to fix it. |
| Arlington County | Two inside-leak adjustments in five years | Prompt repair and receipts or a plumber’s invoice. Inside leaks: half the extra water and sewer. A line between the meter and the house: half the extra water, all the extra sewer. |
| Town of Vienna | Once every five years | A paid repair receipt and a visit from Town staff. Town water and sewer over your average is credited. If your sewer is Fairfax County’s, there’s no sewer credit, because it’s already capped at your winter quarter. |
| Prince William Water | Ask for the courtesy adjustment | A leak on your side of the meter may qualify. The terms are in their customer handbook, so call and ask before you send anything. |
Rules change, so check the utility’s page before you send a request. The links in the table go straight to each one.
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What usually doesn’t count
Loudoun Water spells it out, and it’s a fair rule of thumb for the rest: no credit for water used on purpose. That means a hose left running, irrigation use, a sprinkler timer that was set wrong or failed, and a leaking outdoor faucet. A leak you couldn’t see and fixed once you knew about it is what these programs are for: a running toilet, a pipe in a wall, a failed water heater valve, the line under the yard.
How to ask, step by step
1. Fix it first, and fast. Every utility wants prompt repair. Loudoun gives you 30 days once they’ve told you about it. Don’t wait for the adjustment to decide on the repair.
2. Get the paper. A plumber’s invoice that says what leaked, where it was and the date it was fixed is the strongest proof. Fairfax Water also takes copies of receipts, so if you replaced a flapper yourself, the hardware store receipt counts there.
3. Take photos. The leak before, the repair after, and the meter. Then read the meter a week later and photograph it again. That shows your use went back to normal.
4. Send it in. Fairfax Water has a form on its questions page you can mail, fax or email. Loudoun wants a letter. Include your account number, the service address, what leaked, when you noticed it, when it was fixed, and the proof.
5. Ask about the bill while you wait. Call and ask whether to pay it now or hold the disputed part, so a late fee doesn’t land on top.
A trick worth knowing
Fairfax Water’s adjustment is once every five years and Loudoun’s is once per account. If the leak was small and the extra on the bill is small, you may want to save the adjustment for something bigger. A running toilet that cost you a few dollars isn’t worth your one shot. A line that broke under the yard is.
And watch the calendar. In Fairfax County, Loudoun and Arlington, sewer is capped at your winter quarter use. Fairfax Water and Loudoun Water count the February to April reads. A leak that runs through those reads is billed as water and sewer, and it lifts the cap for the year. What a running toilet adds to your water bill shows the difference in dollars.
Before you ask, find out what leaked
A utility can’t credit a leak nobody can name. If the bill is high and you haven’t found why, run the two-hour meter test first: no water anywhere, read the meter before and after. If it moved, something is leaking. Why is my water bill so high goes through where to look, and leak detection covers the ones in walls and under slabs.
The invoice the utility wants
Tell us it’s for a leak adjustment when you book. The plumber writes the invoice to say what leaked, where it was and the date it was fixed, with photos of the leak and the repair. That invoice is the proof of repair Fairfax Water, Loudoun Water, Arlington and Vienna each ask for.
Our Water Test and Plumbing Safety Check is $29: a licensed plumber walks your plumbing with photos, checks the water heater and tests your water’s hardness at the kitchen table. Hand them the bill and tell them what’s been running. If you already know something’s leaking, a plumbing visit is $49 in regular hours, and the price of the fix is in writing before we start. Booking a plumbing repair? The whole-house plumbing inspection comes with it, so the next drip gets caught too.
Get a plumber on it
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Questions people ask
Can I get a refund on my water bill for a leak?
Usually a credit, once. Fairfax Water gives one courtesy leak adjustment every five years, Loudoun Water one per account for an inside leak, and Arlington two inside leak adjustments in five years. Each needs the leak fixed promptly and proof of the repair.
What proof do I need for a water leak adjustment?
A plumber’s invoice or receipts showing what was repaired and when. Fairfax Water accepts copies of receipts or an invoice, Arlington receipts or a plumber’s invoice, and Vienna a paid repair receipt. Photos of the leak and the meter help.
Does a leak adjustment cover irrigation leaks?
Usually not. Loudoun Water excludes irrigation use, timer and settings problems, hose bibs and water left running. Leaks you couldn’t see, like a toilet or a pipe in a wall, are what the programs are for.
How long does a water leak adjustment take?
Fairfax Water says to expect a response within about two weeks of sending the form. Ask the utility whether to pay the bill while you wait.
