American Leak Detection technician Dan Schaffner spent three days diligently surveying 20 miles of pipe to locate a hidden leak causing Roseburg, Ore. to lose 1,200 gallons of treated water per minute, totaling up to 2 million gallons a day. The city’s reservoir supply had dropped so drastically, officials initially asked more than 10,000 water customers to conserve resources.
The source of the leak had stumped local water officials since Friday morning when staff made them aware of the need to pump more water. City crews spent four days trying to locate the elusive gusher with outdated maps, but they ultimately decided to call in the experts.
“This was a complicated job,” says Tony Dietrich, city water superintendent. “Our reservoirs were barely maintaining and we needed their help to isolate the systems. We didn’t have the tools or experience their techs have to locate the leak.”
Using sonic listening equipment, Schaffner discovered an unknown secondary valve to a line crossing the river. Once this buried valve was closed, the reservoirs began to fill within an hour. Although the pipes are decades old, Dietrich blames recent heavy rainfall for causing the issue. To be proactive in locating other suspected leaks, he said the city is considering hiring American Leak Detection to perform a system-wide survey.
American Leak Detection has served the entire state of Oregon and Southwest Washington since Matthew and Shari Botermans purchased the territory in 2001. They operate six trucks and employ a staff of 10 from their office in Talent. Technicians are based in Medford, Eugene, Salem, Portland and Vancouver. The city of Roseburg has utilized American Leak Detection’s services for difficult jobs since 2002.
is moving, when you know there has been no water usage inside the house, American Leak Detection suggests checking the hose bibs around your yard to make certain that the flow of water to the hose is shutting off completely when the hose is not in use. If these connections are tight, and the meter’s indicator is still moving, you may have a pressurized leak underground between the meter and your home. Or, you could have a slab leak or a leak in your irrigation system. Check your home’s foundation for cracks, uneven growth of vegetation or earth shifts, and walk your yard looking for spongy or even wet areas. If your inspection doesn’t turn up an obvious leak source, you’ll need to call in a leak specialist who can employ electronic leak detection technology to locate, and fix, the leak at its source. 
s face additional possible sources of water leaks that can be very costly over the course of a swimming season. Pool owners should use the spring season to prep their pool for summer fun by clearing the pool of leaves and other debris and checking the filtration system. Then, once the pool owner has filled the pool up to the middle of the skimmer opening and tested the water for safety, he or she should be alert for signs of water leakage. If the water level in the pool drops by one-eighth inch or more in a 24-hour period, if algae growth begins soon after a chemical treatment or if the pool’s automatic filler is running continuously, chances are the pool is leaking. Check for loose or missing tiles, cracks in the pool deck, cracks and gaps in the pool shell, and standing water, soggy spots or uneven grass growth around the pool. 