Water leak found early

Many Facebook users take advantage of the local groups to complain about the area, but sometimes there’s good news. One member of the Bella Vista Neighbors Facebook group reported that the Bella Vista Water Utility had saved him some money. Water Utility Superintendent Charlie Holt wasn’t surprised.

The Facebook user reported that his children had left an outside faucet on after playing in the water. When he came home the next day, he found a water utility worker checking the meter because of the continuous flow it was recording.

It’s not unusual, Holt said. Most of the meters in Bella Vista have the ability to detect a continuous flow when the meter is read. When that happens, the department sends an employee out to knock on the door or, at least, leave a door hanger telling the resident there’s a problem. Usually, the problem is minor — a faucet left on or a bad flapper on a toilet, but it can be more serious. A break in a water line on the resident’s side can cost thousands of dollars in extra water usage, he said. In addition, the water could be causing other damage.

Unfortunately, the leak detection only works when the meter is read, Holt said. Because water meters are read from a vehicle driving a specific route, some people probably don’t realize when their meter is read.

Luckily, for one Facebook user, the meter was read only the day after his kids left the faucet on.