Nashville, TN Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Credit amount
- 50% of excess above average bill
- Cap
- 2x average monthly bill (single-family)
- Proof required
- Sworn affidavit to the department
- Adjustments per year
- Max 2 without director approval
- After department notice
- Must repair immediately or lose credit
Summary
Metro Water Services gives a one-time bill credit for concealed leaks, but only if the customer repairs the leak and stops using water once notified of it.
Where concealed leaks have been discovered and repaired and an affidavit... stating the leaks were concealed and that the plumbing system is now free from leaks, the consumer or customer shall... be given a credit on the water portion... No consumer using metered water shall be entitled to any reduction when he has been notified by an employee of the department of the existence of a leak within his plumbing and fails to take steps to have the same repaired immediately.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53 | Charter: Republication 9).
Full Breakdown
Under Metropolitan Code § 15.48.180, a customer who discovers and repairs a concealed leak can file a sworn affidavit with the Metro Water Services Department and receive a 50% credit on the water (and, in some cases, sewer) portion of the excess above the average monthly bill for the prior year: capped at twice the average monthly bill for single-family homes. The credit is void, however, if the customer was already notified by a department employee of a leak in their plumbing and failed to have it repaired immediately; no adjustment is given more than twice per calendar year without the director's approval.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring a department leak notice forfeits the 50% credit and any bill reimbursement; large ongoing leaks can also trigger immediate water shutoff under § 15.28.050 until repairs and department rules are satisfied.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report a concealed leak to get a bill credit in Nashville?
What happens if I don't fix a leak after Metro notifies me?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
Compare Nashville to another location·View the Tennessee water use rules overview
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