If your water meter is running with everything off, or your bill jumped without a change in habits, you most likely have a leak. The Dedham-Westwood Water District (DWWD) says higher bills "are either caused by a leak or a change in water usage." That is the plain answer for a water meter running and a high water bill in Dedham, MA.
The work now is finding where the water goes: inside a fixture, in a pipe, or underground between the meter and the house.
Start with the cheap, safe checks below. If they come up empty, you have a hidden leak, and a plumber with leak detection tools is the next call.
First step: confirm the meter is really moving.
Make sure no one is using water. Turn off the dishwasher, washer, ice maker and any humidifier. Then look at your meter. Many meters have a small low-flow dial or a triangle that spins when even a trickle passes through. If it turns with every tap closed, water is leaking somewhere.
Write the reading down, wait an hour with no water use, and read it again. A changed number confirms a leak. Some people also close the main shutoff inside the house and see if the meter keeps spinning, which suggests the leak is outside the house on the service line.
The toilet dye test.
A running or leaking toilet is the most common hidden leak. DWWD's leak page describes a simple test. Drop food coloring or a dye tablet into the tank, do not flush, and wait 15 minutes. If color shows up in the bowl, the flapper or fill valve is letting water seep. DWWD offers free leak tablets at its office at 50 Elm St, Dedham.
A toilet leak can waste a lot of water without making any sound. Replacing the flapper is a common fix and a reasonable DIY job. If you are unsure, a plumber can handle it, and our toilet repair page covers it.
Meter running with everything off? Call and ask about leak detection.
Call (617) 752-0573Room-by-room checklist.
- Toilets: dye test each one, and listen for the refill hiss after flushing.
- Faucets and showerheads: look for drips, even slow ones.
- Under sinks: touch the supply lines and shutoff valves for dampness.
- Washing machine hoses and dishwasher connections: look for moisture and rust.
- Water heater: check the base, the relief valve line and the pipes above.
- Outdoor hose bibs: look for drips and wet spots on the foundation.
- Irrigation systems, if you have one: check zones and valves.
- Ceilings and walls: look for stains, bubbling paint or soft drywall under bathrooms.
DWWD lists a room-by-room checklist on its leak page along the same lines. If you find a dripping faucet, faucet repair is the related page.
Warning signs of a service line leak.
The service line runs from the water main to your house. If the leak is in that buried pipe, the meter spins and you may see nothing inside. DWWD names these warning signs:
- Low water pressure.
- Discolored water.
- Water bubbling in the yard.
- An overflowing meter pit.
Add what you can observe on your own property: a spot of lawn that stays soggy in dry weather, a wet basement wall where the line enters, or the sound of water running when everything is off.
If any of these appear, a plumber should confirm the location. Our leak detection page explains how acoustic and other methods are used, and water line repair covers fixing a buried line once it is found.
Decision guide: where is the water going?.
| What you find | Likely location | Next step. |
|---|---|---|
| Dye shows in the toilet bowl | Toilet flapper or fill valve | Replace the part or call. |
| Meter stops when the house main is closed | Leak inside the house | Room checklist, then a plumber. |
| Meter keeps moving with the house main closed | Service line or meter side | Call a plumber and DWWD. |
| Wet spot or bubbling in the yard | Buried line | Shut off water at the main and call. |
| Low pressure plus discolored water | Service line or main issue | Call DWWD and a plumber. |
| Nothing found | Hidden leak in a wall, slab or pipe | Leak detection visit. |
What Dedham homeowners should know.
DWWD is the water supplier for Dedham and Westwood. Its office is at 50 Elm St, Dedham, and the phone is 781-329-7090. DWWD lists office hours as Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30. For a water emergency outside those hours, DWWD lists an after-hours line at 781-326-1250. Use that line for a main break or an overflowing meter pit, and use the office number for billing questions.
DWWD serves about 13,313 meters and service lines. Its pages also list bill payment, rates, a customer portal and final read information. We cannot state DWWD's billing adjustment policy for a leak, because no policy was found on the pages reviewed. Ask DWWD directly whether any adjustment exists and what documentation it wants, such as a plumber's invoice. Keep your repair receipt, photos and the meter readings you wrote down.
Who pays for a buried-line repair depends on where the leak sits. Ask DWWD where its responsibility ends and yours begins, since this article cannot define that line for your property.
What to do when the leak is not obvious.
- Close the main shutoff inside the house and recheck the meter..
- If the meter still moves, call DWWD to report the meter reading, and call a plumber for leak detection..
- If water is surfacing outdoors, call DWWD's after-hours line if the office is closed..
- Before any digging near the leak, call 811. Mass.gov says Dig Safe requires notice at least 72 business hours before excavation, and municipal water and sewer lines may not be marked..
- Photograph wet areas and the meter, and save every invoice..
Plumbing repairs that replace piping need a permit pulled by a licensed plumber, according to the Mass.gov consumer fact sheet. Fixing a leaky faucet does not.
Nearby towns.
If you live in Westwood, DWWD is also your supplier, so the same pages and phone numbers apply. In Needham and other neighboring towns, find your own water department's number and leak guidance.
Frequently asked questions.
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We cannot state DWWD's billing adjustment policy. Call 781-329-7090 during office hours and ask whether it offers an adjustment, what proof it requires, and any deadlines.
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Look for soggy ground, bubbling water, unusually green grass or a wet meter pit, which DWWD lists as warning signs. A plumber uses leak detection equipment to pinpoint the spot before any digging, so call 811 first.
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DWWD's leak page says free tablets are available at 50 Elm St. Ask at the office. Food coloring works as well.
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Yes. A flapper that seeps all day can use a surprising amount of water without any noise. The dye test is the quickest way to know.
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That depends on where the leak sits relative to the meter and the property. Ask DWWD where its responsibility ends, and have a plumber document where the leak is.
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Tell your landlord or property manager, who typically receives the bill. Share your meter readings and photos, and ask them to arrange the plumber. In an emergency, call the 24/7 line at (617) 752-0573.
Codes, standards and sources.
Plumbing work in Massachusetts is governed by 248 CMR 10.00, the Uniform State Plumbing Code, and plumbers are licensed by the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters. You can read the state's consumer fact sheet on plumbers and gas fitters before you hire anyone.
Local facts on this page come from the Dedham-Westwood Water District, the Town of Dedham, the other towns named and Mass.gov, and were checked in October 2026. Where a fact could not be confirmed, the page says to ask the utility or the town.