Leak Detection in Douglasville, GA

The City of Douglasville does not run water or sewer; WSA, created in 1985 when it bought the city and county systems, serves the city. Housing is mostly 1990s and 2000s growth along I-20, with a median build year of 2001 and about 21% predating 1980 near the historic downtown.

What to do now

1. Turn off every faucet, appliance and irrigation zone.
2. Read the WSA meter, wait an hour without using water, and read it again.
3. If it moved, close the house shutoff and check again. Continued movement points to the line from the meter; if it stops, the leak is inside.
4. Check toilets with food coloring in the tank and look under sinks and around the water heater.
5. For a problem at the meter or in the road, call WSA at 770-949-7617 on weekdays, or its after-hours emergency line, 770-942-6633.
6. If water is spreading indoors, close the main and keep it off until help arrives.

Signs and likely causes

What affects the cost

• How quickly the leak can be isolated
• Slab, crawl space or basement construction
• Detection equipment needed to pinpoint a hidden leak
• The repair, and a city permit; plumbing permit applications go through the City of Douglasville Building Division's BS&A online portal

WSA owns the meter and the lines in the road right-of-way, and customers are responsible for both water and sewer lines on the property from the meter up to the home. WSA also requires backflow devices to be tested every year by a certified tester from its approved list. Gas in Douglasville may be Austell Gas System (770-948-1841, option 1) or Atlanta Gas Light (877.427.4321) depending on the address; if a leak search turns up a gas smell, leave first and call 911 and the utility on your gas bill from outside.