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Why Your Water Bill Is Rising (Without Visible Leaks) & How to Stop It

For multifamily property owners, HOA communities, manufactured homes, and more, rising water costs can quickly eat into profits. But what happens when your bill keeps climbing, yet there are no visible leaks? The reality is that hidden leaks, inefficient plumbing, and unmonitored tenant usage could be quietly draining your revenue.

With water rates increasing annually, identifying and eliminating waste isn’t just an operational concern—it’s a necessity for protecting your Net Operating Income (NOI) and keeping tenants happy with fair billing.

Why Are Your Water Costs Rising?

Even if you don’t see a leak, water loss is still happening. Here’s what could be driving up your bill:

1. Leaks You Can’t See (But Are Costing You Thousands)

Not all leaks create visible damage. Many happen inside walls, underground, or in vacant units, leading to water waste without immediate signs. A slow, hidden leak in just one unit can waste over 3,000 gallons per year—scale that across a portfolio, and the costs add up fast.

2. Tenant Water Waste & Inefficient Billing

Without submetering, tenants often have no incentive to conserve water, leading to excessive usage. Traditional water billing methods—like Ratio Utility Billing Systems (RUBS)—charge tenants based on unit size rather than actual consumption, which means owners could absorb the cost of overuse.

3. Aging Plumbing & Infrastructure

Older multifamily properties, particularly Class B and C buildings, often have outdated plumbing systems that lead to leaks, inefficiencies, and unpredictable expenses. Without real-time monitoring, these problems go unnoticed until major repairs are needed.

How to Detect & Stop Hidden Water Waste in Multifamily Buildings

💧 1. Monitor Water Usage in Real-Time

One of the biggest challenges in multifamily water management is not knowing where the water is going. SimpleSUB Water’s smart submetering technology provides unit-level tracking, so you can detect abnormal usage patterns and potential leaks instantly.

With 24/7 monitoring, you can:
✅ Track water usage per unit and eliminate unfair billing disputes
✅ Identify leaks before they become costly
✅ Ensure fair tenant billing and recover utility costs automatically

🔎 2. Investigate Common Hidden Leak Sources

If your bill has spiked unexpectedly, check these culprits:

Running toilets (can waste up to 200 gallons per day)
Dripping faucets & showerheads
Leaking water heaters or washing machines
Hidden pipe leaks inside walls or underground

💡 3. Automate Leak Detection & Cost Recovery

With over-the-pipe submetering, owners and property managers gain control over water expenses without invasive installation. SimpleSUB Water’s smart meters are LTE-connected, require no Wi-Fi, and provide:
✅ Real-time leak alerts to prevent waste
✅ Automatic, accurate billing to recover utility costs
✅ 10-year battery life for long-term, hassle-free operation

Reduce Water Waste, Increase NOI, and Improve Tenant Satisfaction

Ignoring unexplained high water bills means lower NOI, wasted resources, and unhappy tenants. By upgrading to a smart submetering solution, multifamily and multi-tenant property owners can reduce costs, detect leaks early, and ensure fair billing—all while improving sustainability.

📢 Ready to take control of your property’s water costs? Discover how SimpleSUB Water can help with SimpleSUB Billing. 🚰