Bozeman, MT Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Who pays for repairs
- The customer, at their own expense
- Timing of repair
- At once, without waiting for city notice
- Deadline after written notice
- Five days, or service can be discontinued
- Bill adjustment
- Retroactive for three billing periods after repair (§ 40.02.900)
- Outdoor water waste fine
- $100.00 to $500.00 misdemeanor (§ 40.02.1350)
Summary
In the City of Bozeman, Montana, water customers must repair leaky fixtures, interior pipes and irrigation systems at their own expense, at once and without waiting for the city to tell them. If a leak is not repaired within five days after written notice, city water service can be discontinued until the leak is repaired.
Waste of water is prohibited, and customers must keep their fixtures, interior pipes, and irrigation system in good order at their own expense. Leaky fixtures, interior pipes, and irrigation systems must be repaired at once without waiting for notice from the city, and if not repaired within five days after written notice is given, water service may be discontinued until such time as the leak is repaired.
Full Breakdown
Bozeman Municipal Code § 40.02.890 puts the burden of finding and fixing leaks on the customer. Waste of water is prohibited, and customers must keep their fixtures, interior pipes and irrigation system in good order at their own expense. The section does not depend on a city report or complaint: leaky fixtures, interior pipes and irrigation systems must be repaired at once without waiting for notice from the city.
The enforcement step is a written notice. If the leak is not repaired within five days after written notice is given, water service can be discontinued until the leak is repaired. The ordinance sets no separate fine in that section, so the practical lever is a shutoff of service.
The code softens the cost of a leak after the fact. Under § 40.02.900, once repairs to the customer's lines are complete, the utility can adjust the customer's account to the extent of actual water consumed, retroactive for three billing periods commencing upon completion of the repair. The customer is responsible for notifying the utility of the repair made, so an adjustment does not happen unless the customer reports the repair.
Leaks on the outdoor side face a second, stricter layer. Section 40.02.1310 says no person shall waste water, which includes permitting water to escape or run to waste, excessive use, and escape of water through breaks, leaks or malfunctions in the plumbing or irrigation system. Section 40.02.1270 defines water waste to include the escape of water through defective plumbing, breaks, leaks or malfunctions, and § 40.02.1290.B.4 repeats the ban on outdoor use that results in water escaping through breaks, leaks or malfunctions in the irrigation system. Every police officer or code enforcement officer of the city enforces that division under § 40.02.1340, and the city manager can discontinue water service for a violation.
Violations & Fines
For an indoor fixture or pipe leak, § 40.02.890 provides for discontinuing water service if the leak is not repaired within five days after written notice. Irrigation leaks that fall under the outdoor water use division carry a misdemeanor under § 40.02.1350, with a fine of not less than $100.00 or more than $500.00, and the offense is one of absolute liability under § 40.02.1360.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to wait for the City of Bozeman to tell me about a leak?
What happens if I do not fix a leak within five days of notice?
Can I get a credit on my Bozeman water bill after fixing a leak?
Does the leak rule cover sprinklers and irrigation lines?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bozeman
Compare Bozeman to another location·View the Montana water use rules overview
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