Newport News, VA Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Duty
- Repair leaks, don't waste water
- Bill relief
- Adjustment requires prompt repair
- Authority
- Newport News Waterworks director
- Default penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor, up to $2,500
Summary
Newport News bars letting water lines or plumbing fixtures leak excessively on any residential, commercial, or industrial property, and the waterworks director will only adjust a bill for an undiscovered leak once the owner has made prompt repairs.
No owner of any residential unit or commercial or industrial establishment shall cause an excessive amount of water to be used due to leakage from water lines or plumbing fixtures on the premises.(e)Continuous flow equipment. In all new construction and when any continuous flow devices are repaired or replaced, any water connector device or appliance requiring a continuous flow of five (5) gallons per minute or more and not covered by section 42-91(a), shall be equipped with a water recycling system. (Ord. No. 6155-05, § 1; Ord. No. 7614-20, § 1)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
Section 42-91(d) of the water conservation article makes it unlawful for the owner of any residential, commercial, or industrial property to cause an excessive amount of water use through leakage from water lines or plumbing fixtures on the premises. Separately, section 42-38 lets the waterworks director adjust a metered bill for an undiscovered leak, but only if the owner or customer promptly makes all necessary repairs once the leak is discovered or reported: delay in repair forfeits the adjustment and leaves the customer billed for every gallon that passed through the meter.
Violations & Fines
No fine is set specifically for section 42-91(d); an unrepaired leak forfeits any bill adjustment under section 42-38, and code violations without a stated penalty default to a Class 1 misdemeanor (up to $2,500) under section 1-11(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to report a water leak to Newport News Waterworks?
Will Newport News reduce my bill for a leak I didn't know about?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newport News
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