Did you know that the Portland Water Bureau has a program that can fix water leaks for free? The Home Water Leak Repair Program has helped eligible Portland homeowners fix leaks in their toilets, faucets, and pipes for almost three decades. By fixing leaks, the program helps Portlanders save water, save money, and continue living in their homes.
How to qualify
To qualify for the Home Water Leak Repair Program, you must:
- Own and live in the home with the leak
- Have an active drinking water account with the City of Portland
- Be enrolled in our financial assistance program
- Have a water leak in a toilet, faucet, wall pipe, underground pipe, washing machine, or other spot on your side of the water meter
Underground leaks: The most severe leaks
Underground leaks—leaks on the water service line between the meter and the home—can lose lots of water. Some underground leaks can leak thousands of gallons per day! Many of these leaks go unnoticed until the homeowner receives an unexpectedly high sewer, stormwater, and water bill. The Home Water Leak Repair Program repaired or replaced 21 leaking water service lines last year.
Toilets: The sneakiest leaks
Underground leaks aren't the only huge leaks to watch out for. Toilet leaks can also use thousands of gallons of water per day! When a toilet is running or making noise, this means fresh water is flowing into the tank at about the rate of a standard faucet. A leaky toilet tank is the equivalent of leaving a faucet on all day!
The program repaired or replaced 121 inefficient or leaking toilets in 2024. Some toilet replacements fixed a leak that was using hundreds or thousands of gallons of water per day. Other projects replaced old inefficient toilets that used 3.5 gallons per flush (or more!) with WaterSense-labeled toilets that use 1.28 gallons per flush. These highly efficient toilets will save homeowners lots of water and money.
Faucets, pipes, showers, and more!
Beyond these repairs, the Home Water Leak Repair Program fixed many other leaks in 2024. The program repaired or replaced 70 faucets, 35 indoor pipes or supply lines, 28 bath or shower fixtures, 15 hose bibs, and a variety of other fixtures. Overall, the program helped nearly 200 homeowners with repairs or site assessments last year.
Saving water to reduce emissions
These repairs don't just save water—they also help reduce carbon emissions. Treating, pumping, and heating water all use energy that has associated carbon emissions. When water is saved, carbon emissions go down. Recognizing that water and carbon emissions are connected, Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) allocated funding to the Home Water Leak Repair Program. This funding, which began in 2024 and is active for five years, has allowed the program to hire a full-time coordinator and more than double the number of repairs completed compared to previous years. These funds expire after June 30th, 2029.
Have a water leak in your home? Apply for the Home Water Leak Repair Program today!
If you have any questions about the Home Water Leak Repair Program, email LeakRepair@portlandoregon.gov or call 503-823-6060.