Casper, WY Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Repair deadline
- 48 hours after city notice
- Enforcing office
- Casper Public Utilities / Financial Services
- Penalty
- Water shutoff until repaired plus turn-on charge
- Leak bill credit
- 30% of water charges, Sec. 13.03.090
- Ownership split
- City to curb stop, customer beyond
Summary
Casper water and sewer customers must repair any leak in their own water service line, fire suppression line, or private hydrant line within 48 hours of the city's verbal or written notice under Municipal Code Sec. 13.05.040(F). Miss the deadline and the city shuts off water until repairs are done and a turn-on charge is paid.
F.It shall be the responsibility of the customer to maintain the water service line, fire suppression line, or private fire hydrant line from the shut-off valve into the premises receiving water service. In case of failure by the customer to repair any leak occurring in his water service line, fire suppression line, or private fire hydrant line within forty-eight hours after verbal or written notice has been given to the customer, the water will be shut off by the city and will not be turned on until the repairs have been made and the appropriate turn-on charge has been paid. When the waste of water is considered excessive, or when damage is likely to result from the leak, the water will be turned off if the repair is not proceeded with immediately upon the giving of such notice by the city. The city shall also charge the customer the cost of the wasted water. The determination of wasted water being excessive or damage likelihood shall be made at the sole discretion of the city.
Full Breakdown
Under the Casper Municipal Code's water and sewer service chapter, the city draws a hard line at the curb-stop shut-off valve: the city owns and maintains the water service line up to that valve, but everything downstream, into the customer's home or business, including fire suppression and private hydrant lines, belongs to the customer (Sec. 13.05.040(C), (D)). Section 13.05.040(F) makes leak repair the customer's job. Once the city gives verbal or written notice of a leak, the customer has 48 hours to fix it. If the repair is not made in that window, city crews shut the water off and it stays off until the repair is verified and the customer pays the applicable turn-on charge.
The city does not always wait the full 48 hours: when the water loss is judged excessive, or when the leak threatens property damage, the city can shut the service immediately if repairs are not underway right away after notice. Either way, the customer is billed for the water wasted during the leak, and the code gives the city sole discretion to decide what counts as excessive waste or likely damage, with no independent appeal standard written into this section. Customers get one avenue of financial relief: Sec.
13.03.090 lets the Financial Services Department credit a leak-driven bill spike, cutting 30 percent off the water charges on the qualifying bills if usage triples the same period a year earlier, or hits 21,000 gallons for accounts under a year old, limited to the three bills before the leak was fixed. The city is not liable for damage the leaky line itself causes to the customer's property or equipment; that risk sits with the customer under Sec. 13.05.040(F).
Violations & Fines
Failure to repair a reported leak within 48 hours triggers an involuntary shutoff under Sec. 13.05.040(F): water stays off until the line is fixed and the city-set turn-on charge is paid. The customer is also billed for every gallon of water wasted while the leak ran, calculated at the city's discretion. Excessive waste or a likely-damage finding lets the city cut service immediately, skipping the 48-hour window entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to fix a reported water leak in Casper?
Can Casper shut off my water before the 48 hours are up?
Will Casper credit my bill for a leak?
Who owns the water line that leaked?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Casper
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