City of Hendersonville, NC Leak Adjustment: The 2026 Rules as a Checklist

Tick 1: is the leak on your side of the meter?

The City's policy starts with responsibility. Customers own the water service lines on the customer side of the meter, defined as the point where the customer's plumbing connects to the meter box, including a shut-off valve connected directly to the box. The City does not repair leaks on that side, and the customer is responsible for all metered usage, including usage caused by leaks.

That is why the adjustment exists: it is a partial credit on charges you are otherwise responsible for. If the leak is in the meter box itself or on the street side, call the City instead, since that is its equipment.

Your account also has to be active. The policy says requests must be submitted while the utility account is open; once a request to discontinue service has been processed, the account is no longer eligible. If you are selling or moving, submit before you close the account.

Tick 2: is it the kind of leak the City credits?

The policy lists non-preventable leaks that qualify: underground service line leaks between the meter and the structure; hidden plumbing or fixture failures inside walls, slabs or foundations, including running toilets; sudden pipe bursts not caused by misuse or neglect; service line failures not caused by the customer; and internal leaks that were not visible or reasonably discoverable during normal use.

It also lists what does not qualify: fixtures or plumbing left running, such as faucets, hoses or spigots left open; irrigation systems or hoses left running unattended; improperly closed valves or spigots; and any condition where water is flowing because of customer oversight, misuse or lack of maintenance.

Be honest with yourself about which list your leak is on before you spend time on the paperwork. A hose left on overnight is a real cost but it is not an eligible leak under this policy, while a toilet flapper that failed silently is.

Tick 3: get the right proof of repair

Rule eleven requires an invoice from a licensed plumber for repairing the leak, accompanied by a statement confirming the leak or leaks have been repaired and describing where the leak occurred. Ask the plumber to write that statement on the invoice itself so you are not chasing it later.

Rule twelve covers owner repairs. You can fix the leak yourself, but then you must send all receipts for parts and pictures of the leak site before repair and after completion. A photo of the dry, repaired fitting without a before photo will not meet the rule, so take the before picture even when you are in a hurry.

Either way, the City has to be able to verify that the abnormal usage has stopped. Staff review meter data to decide when the leak was corrected, and if they cannot tell that it has ended, the policy says the adjustment may be denied. A meter that keeps moving with everything off is the sign that a second leak is still running.

Tick 4: submit inside 90 days

The Leak Adjustment Request Form must be submitted within 90 days after the leak is corrected, as determined by City staff. The City's leak adjustments page links to an online form, and also accepts requests by email to [email protected] or by drop-off or mail to 160 Sixth Avenue East, Hendersonville, NC 28792.

The same page asks you to allow five business days for review after the completed form and documentation are received, after which a member of the Billing Department contacts you about the adjustment.

Keep paying in the meantime. Rule thirteen says customers must pay the entire amount due within the normal payment period, or enter into a payment arrangement, to stay in good standing. If payment is late, normal collection steps, including disconnection, still apply while the request is pending.

Tick 5: estimate the credit before you count on it

The calculation uses your normal usage, defined as your average consumption over the previous twelve months of billed usage. If you have less than twelve months of history, the City may require up to three more months of billed usage before processing the adjustment.

The usage for each of the two highest billing cycles during the leak is adjusted down to 1.5 times that normal monthly figure. If the leak lasted longer than two cycles, you pay for the rest at full usage. The leak cost calculator shows what the leak added; the adjustment then gives back the part above the 1.5 times line for two cycles.

Where the leaked water went matters. For a leak returned to the sewer, such as a toilet or faucet, the adjustment includes water and sewer. For a burst pipe or underground leak that never reached the sewer, the City removes the sewer charges caused by the leak entirely and adjusts the water charges, and that sewer amount does not count toward the $3,000 maximum.

Tick 6: know the limits

The maximum adjustment for a leak is $3,000 for water and sewer combined, and you are responsible for any billed amount beyond it. No adjustment under $20.00 is given unless the cause was a City error. And the credit is available once every 24 calendar months per meter, so a second leak a year later will not qualify.

Rule fifteen says adjustments are applied to the account as a credit. Payments made before the adjustment that do not exceed three months of normal billed activity stay as a credit on the account while it is active; larger amounts are handled under the City's refund rules.

Because the window is once in two years, prevention is worth more than the credit. The City's rebate for a customer-side shut-off valve and its Aquahawk monitoring service, which the leak page invites customers to sign up for, both help catch the next one sooner. See the rebate checklist.

Checked against: City of Hendersonville, NC: 2026 Leak Adjustment Policy (PDF); City of Hendersonville, NC: Leak Adjustments; City of Hendersonville, NC: Fee Schedule (water, sewer, meter, rebate and billing fees); City of Hendersonville, NC: Utility Billing Policy (effective October 1, 2026). Checked 2026-10-30.