Leak Detection in Bowie, MD

Signs a Bowie home has a leak you can't see

• A water bill that jumps even though nobody in the house has changed habits
• The meter's dial or leak indicator turning while every faucet, toilet and appliance is off
• Peeling paint, bubbling drywall or a brown ring on a ceiling under a bathroom
• A faint hiss or trickle inside a wall late at night
• Swollen laminate or loose tile near a dishwasher, refrigerator or tub
• Weak pressure at one fixture while the rest of the house seems fine

Bowie's two water systems

Bowie is one of the few places in Prince George's County where the city runs its own water utility. The City of Bowie system, built by the Levitt Corporation in the early 1960s, serves neighborhoods including Somerset, Tulip Grove, Kenilworth, Whitehall and Yorktown. It pumps groundwater from wells in three aquifers and treats it to remove naturally occurring iron and manganese. The rest of the city is on WSSC Water. If you're on the city system and see water running in the street, report it to Bowie Public Works at 301-809-2344, or through the Police Communications Center at 240-544-5700 after hours. WSSC customers call 301-206-4002.

The city says the Levitt homes were built with copper service connections, so its system area has no lead service lines. Copper still ages. Bowie's median home was built in 1981 and the Levitt sections are older than that, so pinholes in older copper, stiff shutoff valves and corroded water heater fittings are common reasons for a leak call.

What affects the cost of finding a leak

The price depends mostly on how much searching the job takes. A leak that a meter test and a quick look under the sinks can confirm costs less than one hidden behind a finished basement ceiling. The plumber may need to isolate sections of piping, pressure test them, or use acoustic listening gear or a thermal camera. Outdoor leaks on the line between the meter and the house take more digging to reach. Whether the repair happens on the same visit also changes the total.

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent local plumber, who will ask which utility bills you, what the meter showed and where you've seen water or stains. On site, the plumber narrows the leak down before cutting into anything, then explains the repair. In Prince George's County, plumbing permits come from WSSC Water, and work on a water service line has to be done by a plumber who holds a WSSC license.