Free Tool | Boulder Leak Repair Pros
Find a Hidden Water Leak in Your Boulder Home (Water Meter Test)
The water meter is the most reliable way to confirm a hidden leak in a Boulder home. Boulder uses a personalized water budget rate system where the cost per 1,000 gallons climbs sharply once monthly use exceeds your personal budget.
How to Run the Meter Test
- Turn off every water fixture and appliance in the home, including the irrigation system.
- Locate your City of Boulder water meter at the curb and read the current number in gallons or cubic feet.
- Wait at least 2 hours without using any water.
- Read the meter again and enter both numbers below.
About Boulder Water Budget Rates (2026)
Boulder charges for water in five blocks based on your personal monthly water budget. At Block 1 ($5.65/1,000 gal) the combined water and wastewater baseline is $14.51 per 1,000 gallons, the highest in the Front Range network. A leak that pushes use above your budget enters Block 3 at $15.06 or Block 4 at $22.58. The Leak Cost Calculator shows the full over-budget scenario. Also read: Your Water Bill Doubled: The Meter Test That Finds Hidden Leaks and Boulder Slab Leak Warning Signs.
Suspect an active leak? Get it found without demolition.
✆ Call (303) 552-3896, 24 HoursFrequently Asked Questions
The City of Boulder meter sits in a small box at the curb. Lift the lid and read the digital display or dial face. It shows cumulative gallons or cubic feet. Note the reading, wait at least 2 hours with all fixtures off, then read again. Any increase confirms an active pressurized leak.
Boulder assigns each customer a personalized monthly water budget based on lot size, number of bedrooms, and past use. Usage within the budget is billed at Block 1 ($5.65/1,000 gal). Usage above the budget climbs to Block 3 ($15.06), Block 4 ($22.58), or Block 5 ($37.64) per 1,000 gallons. A hidden leak that runs 24 hours a day can push a household well above budget within a single billing cycle.
Yes. Boulder uses an Average Winter Consumption (AWC) figure based on December through March bills to set your wastewater cap for the rest of the year. A hidden leak running during those months inflates the AWC and raises your wastewater charges for the following 12 months, on top of the immediate water bill impact.
Almost always. A slab leak is a pressurized supply pipe failure under the concrete foundation that runs continuously. Even a moderate slab leak at 5 to 10 gallons per hour adds 3,600 to 7,200 gallons per month. At Boulder rates, that can push usage into Block 3 or Block 4, significantly increasing the monthly bill before any visible damage appears.
Questions? Call (303) 552-3896, 24 hours a day.