Issaquah, WA Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)

Issaquah does not print a stand-alone duty to phone in a leak. What the Issaquah Municipal Code does print is a repair-and-report deadline attached to bill relief in IMC 13.24.140. Under subsection A, customers who see a substantial increase in their water bill because of a leak may apply for a one-time billing adjustment. Subsection B limits relief to leaks that push usage more than 1,500 cubic feet (CCF) above typical historic usage, and subsection C covers only the two most impacted billing cycles.

The repair clock is in subsection E. The customer must prove the leak was permanently repaired within 30 days of discovering it or of the date of the City bill showing unusually high consumption, whichever is sooner. If the repair cannot be finished in that window, the customer must contact the City's Utility Billing Department within the same 30 days to document the planned repair date, then prove the repair was completed within 30 days of that scheduled date. The account must be in good standing with no delinquent or outstanding charges, and the customer must submit the completed water leak adjustment form from the City's webpage with invoices, receipts, and photos of the repair.

Subsection D excludes leaks in irrigation systems, leaks in pools or water features, leaks caused or worsened by negligence or misuse, boat docks, and atypical water consumption. Under subsection F the City averages the customer's bimonthly billing history for the three years before discovery, deducts that average from the disputed bill, and charges the extra water at a reduced rate. Single-family residence and duplex customers get the third tier of the block rate structure in effect at the time of the leak, while commercial and multifamily customers get the first tier. Subsection G makes the City's decision final and not subject to appeal.