Leak Detection in Kiowa, CO

Clues that something is leaking

• Water use on your KWWA bill rising without a change in habits
• The meter moving with every faucet and appliance off
• A wet spot between the street and the house in dry weather
• Water around the meter pit on your property
• Damp drywall, swollen baseboards or a musty closet
• A pressure relief valve that drips or discharges

Local conditions in Kiowa

Kiowa is a small, steadily growing town that serves as the Elbert County seat. Water and sewer come from the Kiowa Water and Wastewater Authority, with billing and contact through the Town office at 404 Comanche Street, 303-621-2366. The water is groundwater from an Authority well, disinfected with chlorine.

The Authority's rules put more on homeowners than many metro utilities. It maintains the mains, but the property owner is responsible for maintaining the service line and related parts from the main to the structure. Meter pits sit on the owner's property, and meters are supplied by the Authority at the owner's expense. So a leak in the yard, at the meter pit or at the foundation is usually a private repair.

The Authority's technical standards also require a water pressure relief valve in the internal plumbing of every property it serves. If that valve is dripping, it may be doing its job or it may have failed, and a plumber can tell which.

The median Kiowa home was built in 1996, with about 28% built before 1980, so you will find both newer connections and older valves and fittings. Plains winters bring hard freezes, and hose bibs and pipes in exterior walls are frequent leak points in spring.

What drives the cost

• The length of the service line from the main to the house
• Whether the leak is at the meter pit, in the yard or inside
• How many sections need testing before the source is found
• The repair and any permit; inside town limits, the Town building department handles permits through SAFEbuilt, and addresses outside go to Elbert County

When you call

You will be connected with an independent plumber who covers Kiowa. Mention whether you are inside town limits, whether the meter moves with everything off and whether the pressure relief valve has been dripping. Those details help the plumber decide where to start.