Leak Detection in Redlands, CA

Who do I call if water is coming up at the meter?

Start with the City of Redlands Municipal Utilities & Engineering Department, which supplies water to Redlands and nearby areas. Customer Service is listed at (909) 798-7516. A leak at the meter or in the street may be the City's to fix. Once the leak is on the house side of the meter, or anywhere inside, a plumber takes over. The City also reports that its service line inventory found no lead service lines and none of galvanized pipe requiring replacement in its distribution system.

Could my backflow assembly or sprinklers be the source?

They're worth checking. Redlands requires every backflow prevention assembly with active water service to be tested at least once a year by a certified tester acceptable to the City, and again after installation, repair, replacement or relocation. An assembly that is failing can drip or discharge. Irrigation valves, laterals and heads are another frequent source of unexplained use. Turning the controller off and reading the meter, then running one zone at a time, separates outdoor losses from indoor ones.

Does Redlands water make leaks more likely?

Not directly, but minerals leave clues. The City's 2022 Consumer Confidence Report lists groundwater hardness averaging 152 mg/L and treated surface water averaging 135 mg/L. Scale from water like that can wear faucet cartridges and toilet fill valves until they seep, and a slow drip at a fitting often leaves a white crust before you see a puddle. Pinhole leaks in copper are more about pipe age and water chemistry over many years; a plumber can tell you whether one repair is enough or the line is due for replacement.

A short local note

If the repair requires a permit, the City of Redlands Building & Safety Division handles plumbing permits through its One Stop Permit Center at 35 Cajon Street, and many applications can be started online. Your plumber can tell you whether your fix falls under a permit. For a leak that is soaking a ceiling or spraying, close the main shutoff first and then call. Knowing where that shutoff is, and making sure it turns, is worth doing before you need it.