What this calculator does
This tool estimates how much a leak adds to a monthly Raleigh Water bill. It uses the residential rates Raleigh Water published for Raleigh, Garner, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon, effective July 1, 2026: three water tiers, the wastewater usage charge, and the watershed protection fee. Enter how many gallons the leak loses per day and your usual monthly use in CCF, and it shows the extra CCF, the extra water and sewer charges, and the total.
It does not price any repair. Plumbing prices vary by job and we have not found a primary source for them. Fixed base and infrastructure charges are listed in the table for reference, but they do not change with a leak, so the calculator leaves them out of the leak cost.
Calculator: what a leak adds to your Raleigh Water bill
Rates: Raleigh Water Public Utilities Rates effective July 1, 2026 (residential water tiers 0-4, 5-20, 21+ CCF; wastewater usage per CCF; watershed protection fee $0.1122/CCF); 1 CCF = 748 gallons; 30-day month. Fixed base charges do not change with a leak and are excluded. Utility charges only, not a plumber price.
How the math works
Raleigh Water says one CCF equals 748 gallons, and its billing FAQ explains that tiers apply step by step: the first four CCF are billed at the Tier 1 rate, the fifth at Tier 2, and so on. The calculator converts the leak to CCF per month, using a 30-day month, adds it to your usual use, and charges only the extra CCF at whatever tier rates they fall into. Sewer is charged on the same extra CCF at the wastewater rate, plus the watershed fee.
Choose inside or outside city limits to match your bill; Raleigh's rate sheet lists separate inside and outside rates, and the outside rates are double. Your bill shows your monthly consumption in CCF, which is the best figure to use as usual monthly use. Raleigh's billing FAQ says the billing cycle is monthly for all customers.
| Charge | Inside city limits | Outside city limits | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water, Tier 1 (0-4 CCF), per CCF | $3.11 | $6.22 | Raleigh Water rates PDF |
| Water, Tier 2 (5-20 CCF), per CCF | $5.41 | $10.82 | Raleigh Water rates PDF |
| Water, Tier 3 (21+ CCF), per CCF | $6.97 | $13.94 | Raleigh Water rates PDF |
| Wastewater (sewer) usage, per CCF | $5.31 | $10.62 | Raleigh Water rates PDF |
| Watershed protection fee, per CCF | $0.1122 | $0.1122 | Raleigh Water rates PDF |
| Water base charge, 5/8-inch meter, monthly | $8.14 | $16.28 | Raleigh Water rates PDF |
| Wastewater base charge, 5/8-inch meter, monthly | $8.83 | $17.66 | Raleigh Water rates PDF |
| Infrastructure replacement, 5/8-inch: water / wastewater | $1.50 / $4.50 | $1.50 / $4.50 | Raleigh Water rates PDF |
| Gallons per CCF | 748 | 748 | City of Raleigh, Utility Bill Explained |
Measuring the leak
Turn off all water in the house, read the meter, wait a few hours without using water, and read it again. Convert the difference to gallons and scale it to a day. Our leak detection guide explains the test in more detail.
If you cannot measure the leak, use a reference figure. The EPA says the average family can waste 180 gallons a week from household leaks, about 26 gallons a day. Raleigh Water's billing FAQ gives a larger example: a leaky toilet flapper that costs little to fix can waste more than 200 gallons per day.
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Free Quote RequestWorked examples using the same tables
A household that normally uses 5 CCF a month, inside city limits, with a leak of 26 gallons a day: that is about 1.04 CCF a month, all in Tier 2 at $5.41, plus sewer at $5.31 and the watershed fee at $0.1122, for roughly $11.30 extra per month. A running toilet at 200 gallons a day adds about 8.02 CCF; for the same household that is about $86.89 a month inside city limits.
Leaks that push a household above 20 CCF reach Tier 3 at $6.97 per CCF inside city limits. These examples use the same rates and method as the calculator above, and you can reproduce them by entering the same numbers.
After you fix the leak
Raleigh Water's billing FAQ says leak adjustments may be granted under certain conditions after the leak is repaired, usually with a plumber's receipt or other proof of repair. Adjustments cover no more than two consecutive months, only one financial adjustment is allowed per customer per premise each year, and requests are denied when a leak continues for three or more months.
So fix leaks quickly and keep the paperwork. Our high water bill guide explains the rest of the bill, and if the leak is active, start with our emergency steps.