Fitchburg, WI Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Repair duty
- Owner repairs leaking service pipe on notice
- Consequence for non-repair
- Water shutoff until repaired (§ 40-160(d))
- Billing
- Meter-registered leaks billed at filed rates
- Utility duty
- Annual reminder of leak responsibility
- Stop box
- Customer keeps box clear (§ 40-530)
- Late payment charge
- 1% per month after 21 days
Summary
In Fitchburg, a property owner who fails to repair a leaking or broken water service pipe after written notice from the utility gets shut off until the repair is done, and every meter-registered leak past the metering point is billed to the customer at filed rates. The utility must remind customers once a year under Chapter 40 of the Fitchburg City Code.
(d)If the owner fails to repair a leaking or broken service pipe from the curb stop to the point of metering or use within such time as may appear reasonable to the utility, after written notice, the water will be shut off and will not be turned on again until the repairs have been completed. ... Water losses that occur on the premises, which are registered by the water meter, shall be the responsibility of the customer. It is the sole responsibility of the customer to prevent leakage in all piping and fixtures on the premises at and beyond the metering point. The utility shall inform each customer at least once each year that it is the sole responsibility of the customer to prevent leakage in all piping and fixtures on the premises at and beyond the metering point, and that any leaks or other losses of water, registered by the meter will be billed at the filed rates.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 30).
Full Breakdown
Section 40-160(d) puts the repair duty on the property owner: if a leaking or broken service pipe between the curb stop and the point of metering or use is not fixed within a reasonable time set by the utility, after written notice, the water utility shuts the water off and will not restore it until the repairs are complete. Section 40-394 then fixes financial responsibility going forward: water losses registered by the meter are the customer's responsibility, prevention of leakage in all piping and fixtures at and beyond the metering point is the customer's sole responsibility, and the utility must inform each customer of that duty at least once a year, with any meter-registered leak losses billed at the utility's filed rates.
A related duty sits in Section 40-530: the customer must protect the curb stop box on their terrace and keep it free of dirt and obstructions, and the utility is not liable if it cannot locate the stop box to shut off water during a leak. Section 40-531 covers the separate case of frozen services, putting the cost of thawing on the utility unless the freeze was caused by the customer's own negligence, such as inadequate pipe depth or ignored utility specifications.
Violations & Fines
There is no separate forfeiture listed for an unrepaired service-pipe leak; the enforcement mechanism is the water shutoff itself under Section 40-160(d), and service stays off until the repair is completed and reinspected. Unpaid leak charges become part of the customer's water bill, and Section 40-502 adds a one percent per month late payment charge on any bill not paid within 21 days of issuance or its due date, whichever is later, with delinquent amounts as of October 15 collectible by the city treasurer under Wis. Stat. § 66.0809.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays for a water leak on my property in Fitchburg?
What happens if I don't fix a leaking service pipe after the city notifies me?
Does Fitchburg's water utility ever warn customers about leak responsibility?
Am I responsible for the curb stop box during a leak?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fitchburg
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How other cities in Dane County handle leak reporting duty.