01What this calculator does
This calculator estimates the extra water and sewer charges a leak adds to one month of a Fulton County residential bill during the April 1 to October 31 conservation season. It uses only the County's published 2026 rates: Tier 1 at $4.74, Tier 2 at $5.91 and Tier 3 at $9.47 per 1,000 gallons of water, and a sewer volume charge of $8.98 per 1,000 gallons. The fixed service charges do not change when you have a leak, so they are left out.
You enter three numbers: the leak in gallons per day, your winter base in gallons per month, and your usual monthly use. The tool works out where your usual use already sits in the tiers and prices each added gallon at the tier it falls into. It assumes a 30-day month and that sewer volume is billed on the same metered gallons as water; check your own bill to confirm how your account is billed. It does not include any plumber price.
Calculator: what a leak adds to a Fulton County summer bill
Rates: Fulton County Water Rates, 2026 conservation season (April 1 to October 31): Tier 1 $4.74 up to 130% of base, Tier 2 $5.91 to 200%, Tier 3 $9.47 above, per 1,000 gallons; sewer volume $8.98 per 1,000 gallons, assumed billed on the same metered gallons. 30-day month. Fixed service charges are unchanged by a leak and excluded. Fulton County accounts only; utility charges, not a plumber price.
02How to measure the leak
Fulton County's meter test is the place to start. With no water in use, read the meter, wait one or two hours, and read it again. The difference, scaled to 24 hours, is your leak in gallons per day. If your meter reads in cubic feet, one cubic foot is about 7.48 gallons. If you do not know where your meter is, the County's billing customer service at 404-612-6830 can tell you; our leak detection guide has the full method.
If you cannot measure, EPA WaterSense estimates that the average family can waste 180 gallons per week from household leaks, which is about 26 gallons per day. That is the calculator's default.
| Charge | 2026 rate | Applies | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water service charge | $11.25 per bill | Every bill | Fulton County Water Rates |
| Water Tier 1 | $4.74 per 1,000 gal | Up to 130% of winter base, Apr-Oct | Fulton County Water Rates |
| Water Tier 2 | $5.91 per 1,000 gal | 131% to 200% of base, Apr-Oct | Fulton County Water Rates |
| Water Tier 3 | $9.47 per 1,000 gal | Over 200% of base, Apr-Oct | Fulton County Water Rates |
| Sewer service charge | $11.25 per bill | Every bill | Fulton County Water Rates |
| Sewer volume charge | $8.98 per 1,000 gal | Metered volume | Fulton County Water Rates |
| Irrigation meter usage | $9.47 per 1,000 gal | Separate irrigation meter | Fulton County Water Rates |
03Finding your winter base
Fulton County bases the tiers on each home's winter average, from November 1 through March 31. Look at your winter bills to find a typical monthly figure in gallons. The County sets the base for new residences at 16,200 gallons. Tier 1 runs up to 130 percent of the base, Tier 2 from 131 to 200 percent, and Tier 3 above 200 percent.
If your usual summer use is already above 130 percent of your base, for example because of irrigation, every leaked gallon starts in Tier 2 or Tier 3. That is why the same leak can cost more in July than in April.
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Free Quote Request04Worked examples
Example one: winter base 6,000 gallons, usual use 6,000 gallons, leak 26 gallons per day. Over 30 days the leak adds 780 gallons, all within Tier 1. Water adds about $3.70 and sewer volume about $7.00, roughly $10.70 for the month.
Example two: same home, but a 200 gallon per day leak, such as a running toilet or a small yard line break. That adds 6,000 gallons. The first 1,800 gallons stay within Tier 1 and the remaining 4,200 fall in Tier 2, so water adds about $33.35 and sewer about $53.88, roughly $87.23 for the month. A larger leak that crosses 200 percent of base reaches Tier 3.
05What the calculator leaves out
It does not cover November to March, when Fulton County's page does not describe tier pricing, and it does not include fixed service charges, larger meter sizes, irrigation meters or any later rate change. Roswell Water Utility customers are billed by the City of Roswell at the City's rates, so this calculator does not apply to them; see Roswell's two providers.
It also does not estimate repair costs. We do not publish plumber prices because there is no primary source for them. A Free Quote Request lets independent licensed plumbers contact you with their own quotes. Once a leak is fixed, see Fulton County leak adjustments and our high bill guide.