Charleston, WV Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing body
- Sanitary board (city utilities chapter)
- Who bears the cost
- Customer, for user-side leaks
- Bill adjustment for leaks
- None, if water enters sewer
- Related duty
- Keep sewer lateral repaired (Sec. 118-63)
Summary
Charleston's sanitary board won't reduce your sewer bill for a water leak on your side of the meter: if that leaked water drains into the city sewer, you're billed for all of it.
No allowance or adjustment of any sewer bill shall be made for water leaks of any nature occurring on the user's side of the meter if the water so leaked enters the sewer.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
Under the utilities chapter governing the city's sanitary board, a leaking pipe, fixture, or fitting on the customer's side of the water meter gets no break on the sewer bill as long as the leaked water flows into the sewer system. The code puts the financial risk of an undetected or unrepaired leak squarely on the property owner or tenant, giving a direct cash incentive to find and fix leaks quickly rather than let them run. This sits alongside a separate duty (Sec. 118-63) making occupants responsible for keeping their sewer lateral clear and in repair.
Violations & Fines
No penalty citation is issued: the consequence is financial: the full, unadjusted sewer charge for all leaked water that reached the sewer system, billed to the customer of record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a sewer bill credit for a leaking pipe at my house?
Does the water utility ever adjust for leaks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston
Compare Charleston to another location·View the West Virginia water use rules overview
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