Portsmouth, VA Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Water rebate section
- City Code § 38-92
- Sewer rebate section
- City Code § 38-120
- Water rebate cap
- 50% of excess over 6-mo average
- Sewer rebate cap
- 100% if leak proven not to enter sewer
- Frequency limit
- One credit per 12 consecutive months
- Required proof
- Written documentation of repair date to director
Summary
Portsmouth will credit part of a metered water bill caused by a hidden pipe leak, but only if the customer promptly repairs the leak and reports it in writing to the director of public utilities with proof of the repair date. The rebate caps at 50 percent of the excess over the property's average use.
Sec. 38-92. - Rebate of charges in case of leaks. If underground or inside leaks occur in water pipes on premises receiving metered water, and if the owner or occupant of the premises or the water consumer: (1)Has all necessary repairs made promptly; and(2)Furnishes the director with documentation certifying that the repairs have been made and giving the date of completion of the work; the director may make rebate to such owner, occupant or consumer of the water charges in excess of the average consumption for the premises during the last six months. A maximum of 50 percent credit on excess water charges over the average will be allowed. In unusual circumstances, the director may make additional adjustments. Only one adjustment credit may be allowed for leaks within 12 consecutive months.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Sec. " Only after both conditions are met may the director rebate water charges that exceed the premises' average consumption over the prior six months, and the credit is capped at 50 percent of that excess; the director has discretion to make additional adjustments in unusual circumstances, but a property may claim only one leak adjustment in any 12 consecutive months. The companion sewer-side provision, Sec. 38-120, extends the same repair-and-documentation standard to sewer charges billed on metered water consumption: the director may rebate sewer charges on the same terms as the water rebate under Sec.
38-92, except that Sec. 38-120 allows a full 100 percent credit on the sewer portion where the customer proves the leaking water never reached the sewer system. Both rebate schemes sit in chapters governing billing (Article III, water service charges, and Article IV, sewer service charges) and apply only to underground or inside leaks in water pipes on metered premises, not to fixture misuse or wasted water the code separately makes fully chargeable under Sec. 38-85.
Violations & Fines
There is no separate misdemeanor for failing to report a leak; the consequence is administrative, not criminal. A customer who does not furnish documentation and proof of repair to the director simply forfeits the rebate under Sec. 38-92 and Sec. 38-120, and the full metered bill, including any leak-inflated usage, remains due under the standard billing and late-payment terms of Sec. 38-93, which adds a 1.5 percent monthly late charge and can lead to service discontinuance under Sec. 38-94.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report a water leak to get a bill credit in Portsmouth?
Can I get a credit on both my water and sewer bill for the same leak?
How often can I claim a leak rebate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portsmouth
Compare Portsmouth to another location·View the Virginia water use rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.