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Citrus County, FL Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Citrus County Code § 102-136
Applies to
County water/wastewater service unit customers only
Usage spike threshold
At least 200% increase over prior bill
Repair documentation deadline
7 calendar days of noticing leak
Frequency limit
One adjustment per 24 months per property
Credit cap
No more than two monthly bills

Summary

Citrus County's water and wastewater service unit will credit part of a customer's bill after a leak on the owner's side of the meter is repaired, but only for customers of the county utility in unincorporated Citrus County, and only if the customer documents the leak and its repair within strict deadlines.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Citrus County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(b)The service unit may adjust a customer's bill by posting a partial credit to the account after a break or a leak on the owner's side of the meter has been repaired. In order to establish a basis for an adjustment, a customer must provide to the service unit the following information.(1)A written request for consideration of a credit, describing the defect and identifying the date the defect was discovered and repaired; and(2)A copy of the licensed plumber invoice for repair of the defect or, if the customer repairs the break or leak, a notarized letter describing the location of the break or leak and the work needed to repair the break or leak.(c)An adjustment to the customer's bill may be made after the following criteria are satisfied.(1)Where the monthly usage prior to repair results in at least a 200 percent, increase in the cost of water over the prior monthly bill; and(2)Where the customer has documented proof that the unusually high water usage resulted from the break or leak which has been repaired, or the service has been disconnected pending repairs.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 76).

Full Breakdown

Under Citrus County Code § 102-136, a customer served by the county's own water/wastewater service unit (not by Crystal River or Inverness, which run separate municipal utilities) can seek a bill credit after fixing a break or leak on the customer's side of the meter. To start the process the customer must submit a written request describing the defect and the dates it was discovered and repaired, plus either a licensed plumber's invoice or, if the customer made the repair, a notarized letter describing the location of the break and the work performed.

The service unit will only grant an adjustment if the pre-repair month's water cost rose by at least 200 percent over the prior monthly bill, the customer proves the spike came from the now-repaired leak (or that service was disconnected pending repairs), and the customer documents repair within seven calendar days of noticing the leak; a written explanation and proof of minimal usage is required if more time was needed. The adjusted consumption level is calculated by taking half the difference between the leak-month usage and the customer's highest usage in the prior 12 months and adding that back to the highest prior level, and the credit is capped at the maximum rate that would have applied at the customer's highest usage in the prior 24 months.

A customer may use this adjustment only once every 24 months per property, and credits cannot exceed two monthly bills. Unknown usage spikes, delayed repairs, pool filling and new landscaping watering are expressly excluded. 00 late fee applies, and service is discontinued if the account remains delinquent 38 days or more.

Violations & Fines

Failure to submit the written leak-adjustment request, plumber invoice or notarized repair letter, or missing the seven-day repair-documentation window, forfeits eligibility for the credit under § 102-136(b)-(c). Separately, tampering with a meter to avoid registering usage is a violation of § 102-140, punishable under the penalty provisions of § 102-82, and accounts left delinquent 38 days or more face service disconnection under § 102-135 plus applicable disconnect/reconnect fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this leak-adjustment rule cover my water bill in Crystal River or Inverness?
No. Section 102-136 applies only to customers of Citrus County's own water/wastewater service unit, which serves unincorporated Citrus County. Crystal River and Inverness operate their own municipal water utilities under their own codes, so a leak credit there follows city rules, not this county section.
How much does my usage need to spike to qualify for a leak credit?
The monthly water cost before repair must be at least 200 percent higher than the prior month's bill, and you must document that the spike came from the leak you fixed, or that service was disconnected while repairs were pending, per § 102-136(c)(1)-(2).
What proof do I need to submit after fixing a leak?
A written request describing the defect and the discovery and repair dates, plus a licensed plumber's invoice, or if you made the repair yourself, a notarized letter describing the leak's location and the work performed, submitted within seven calendar days of noticing the leak.
How often can I get a leak-related bill adjustment?
Only once every 24 months for a given property, measured from the date of repair, and the credit cannot exceed two monthly bills even if the leak caused a larger overcharge.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Citrus County

All Citrus County rules

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