The Portland Water Bureau works with community partners and local plumbers to offer free water leak repair services for income-qualified homeowners in Portland. Fixing water leaks can lower water bills, improve livability, help people stay in their homes, and conserve water! Over the past 27 years, the Home Water Leak Repair Program has helped hundreds of homeowners fix their leaking faucets, toilets, pipes, and other types of leaks.
Below are the stories of three homeowners who had their leaks fixed through the Home Water Leak Repair Program.
Juan in Southwest Portland
Juan knew something was wrong when he found a puddle of water in his garden. He searched for the source and found that the water was coming from a leak somewhere inside the wall of his house. But the exact location of the leak was very hard to identify, and Juan realized right away that he needed help.
Juan hired several plumbers to look at the wall. But the plumbers just started shaking their heads, Juan said. They couldn’t be certain of the leak’s location, and they were afraid to cut into the wall in the wrong spot.
Feeling desperate, Juan searched the internet for leak repair help and found the website for the Portland Water Bureau’s program. He decided to apply.
The program partnered Juan with Community Energy Project and a licensed plumber. He was immediately impressed. The plumbers’ experience and knowledge allowed them to find the leak and open the wall in the right place. The leak was coming from an old broken pipe that was not in use. The plumbers capped the pipe to fix the leak.
For a few months, the leak appeared to be fixed. Then Juan came home one day and found water on his floor. He called the Home Water Leak Repair Program, and the plumbers came back to his house within the week.Plumbers found that the capped pipe had started leaking from a new spot. They capped the pipe in a different place, and Juan’s home has been leak-free ever since!
“The program was a lifesaver,” Juan said. He explained that his home is old and has many pipes that are no longer in use, which made it tricky to find the leak. The plumbers from the program were able to find the issue that had puzzled other plumbers. And, Juan added, they arrived on time, worked quickly, and were professional.
Shirley in Northeast Portland
Shirley became worried she had a leak when her water bill more than doubled to over $800. Alarmed, she contacted the Portland Water Bureau right away. The Portland Water Bureau sent free dye tablets to Shirley and explained how to use a dye test to check toilets for leaks. Shirley did the dye test but didn’t find any issues. She needed help finding her leak, so she filled out an application for the Home Water Leak Repair Program.
The program connected Shirley with Community Energy Project. Community Energy Project checked her home and found a leak in her downstairs toilet. They made adjustments to the float valve to stop the leak. While they were in the home, Community Energy Project also found two very old toilets. Older toilets are inefficient and often leak, and Shirley said they had caused issues in the past. The plumbers replaced Shirley’s old toilets with new water-efficient models.
Shirley received her next sewer, stormwater, and water bill a few months later. It was much, much lower—which was a huge relief!
Shirley was pleased with how quickly the process moved. She was also happy to report that the plumbers treated her home very well. “I would recommend them to anybody!” she said. Shirley has lived in her home for about 45 years and is looking forward to many more years to come.
Julie in North Portland
Julie became concerned when she received a flyer on her front door from the Portland Water Bureau to let her know her water use had increased. Julie soon received her sewer, stormwater, and water bill, which was much higher than usual.
“I went into panic mode,” Julie says. She used dye tablets to test her toilets for leaks, but she didn’t find any. Next, Julie used her water meter to check for leaks. Julie’s water meter continued to spin even after she’d shut off the main water valve in her home. It appeared that she had an underground service line leak.
Julie called about six different contractors for bids. In the meantime, she filled out an application for the Home Water Leak Repair Program. Program partner Community Energy Project went to her home to assess the leak situation. Her leak repair was scheduled within about two weeks.
In the end, Julie said that she couldn’t be more pleased. The plumbers replaced the leaking service line between her meter and her home. After her leak was fixed, she was able to get a bill adjustment from the Water Bureau.
After connecting through the Home Water Leak Repair Program, Community Energy Project let Julie know that they could also help her with a whole-home energy assessment. Community Energy Project insulated her home’s exterior walls and upgraded her gas furnace to a heat pump that comes with central air. They also replaced Julie’s hot water heater, which had been starting to fail. Julie had previously been boiling water to add to her bath.
Julie’s experience working with Community Energy Project was outstanding. “I feel like the luckiest person in the world,” she said. After 20 years of living in her house, “it’s like a new home now.”
About the program
Learn more about the Home Water Leak Repair Program.
The Home Water Leak Repair Program is funded by the Portland Water Bureau and the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF). When we fix leaks and save water, we also save energy and reduce carbon emissions.