Leak Detection in Berkeley, CA

Last checked October 25, 2026 against EBMUD’s leak guide.

Check your meter first (free, about 40 minutes)

EBMUD’s own leak guide walks through this test. You need nothing but a flashlight.

1. Find the meter. It sits in a concrete box near the curb with the EBMUD logo on the lid.
2. Stop all water use. Turn off taps, the dishwasher, the washer and irrigation, inside and out.
3. Watch the leak indicator. It is a small triangle or dial on the meter face. If it spins, you likely have a leak.
4. Do a pin test if it looks still. Mark where the dial points, wait 30 minutes with no water use, and check again.
5. Split the house from the yard. Close your houseline shutoff valve and repeat the 30-minute test. If the dial still moves, the leak is in the pipe between the meter and the house. If it stops, the leak is inside the home.

EBMUD meters read in cubic feet, and one cubic foot is 7.48 gallons. Most meters are read by hand every other month, so a hidden leak can run for weeks before it shows up on a bill.

Where leaks hide in older Berkeley homes

About 73.6% of homes in the Berkeley school district area were built before 1970, according to Census survey data for 2019 to 2023. Older homes have more joints, older fixtures and often original pipe in the crawlspace.

1. Toilets. EBMUD calls toilet leaks the number one cause of high water bills. A worn flapper or fill valve can leak silently. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank, wait 15 to 30 minutes, and check the bowl for color.
2. The water heater. Check the base for water and look at the inlet and outlet pipes, the temperature and pressure relief valve and the drain valve.
3. Under sinks and behind appliances. Braided supply lines, angle stops and dishwasher or ice-maker lines fail with age.
4. The crawlspace. Many older Berkeley homes have a raised foundation, so supply pipes run where nobody looks. Old galvanized steel pipe rusts from the inside and can pinhole.
5. The service line. The pipe from the meter to the house is yours to fix. A soggy strip of lawn or a sinking spot between the curb and the house is a common sign.
6. Irrigation. Look for wet or unusually green patches, broken heads and valves that stick open.

How a plumber finds a leak you can’t see

A good leak search narrows things down before anyone opens a wall. Expect some mix of these steps:

1. Isolation. Shutting valves section by section to learn which line is losing water.
2. Pressure testing. Pressurizing one line and watching a gauge for a drop.
3. Acoustic listening. Ground microphones and listening tools pick up the hiss of water escaping a pipe under a floor or yard.
4. Thermal imaging. An infrared camera shows warm or cool patches where a hot or cold line is leaking.
5. Moisture meters. These confirm how far water has spread in drywall, subfloor or framing.

Ask for the location in writing and a photo of the reading before you approve any opening of walls, floors or a slab.

What leak detection costs

These are national reported figures, not quotes. Bay Area labor usually runs higher, and repairs, wall patching and permits are extra. Get the price in writing before work starts. See hourly rates and service fees.

Who fixes what

EBMUD is responsible for leaks on the street side of the meter. You are responsible for everything on the property side, including the line to the house.

If a leak has already soaked a floor or ceiling, shut the main valve first. Our guide shows how to shut off your main water valve.