Leak Detection in Bonita, CA

Is a Bonita house from the 1970s a likely place for a hidden leak?

It can be. The median Bonita home was built around 1975, which puts much of the original plumbing near the half-century mark. Shutoff valves stiffen and seep at the stem, supply hoses crack, and copper lines can develop pinholes where they rub against framing or sit in hard water. Some homes have crawl spaces where a drip goes unseen; others are on slabs where a hot line leak shows up as a warm floor. A plumber starts by checking whether the meter moves with everything off, then isolates hot, cold and outdoor lines in turn.

What does Sweetwater's water mean for leaks?

Sweetwater Authority serves Bonita with a blend of Sweetwater River water from Sweetwater Reservoir, local fresh and brackish groundwater (the brackish water treated by reverse osmosis) and imported supply. It uses chloramine as a disinfectant, and its reported hardness ranges from 94 to 300 ppm as calcium carbonate, averaging 196 ppm. Scale from water that hard wears down valve seats, flappers and faucet cartridges. On the service line question, Sweetwater's lead service line inventory found no lead or galvanized service lines requiring replacement, including customer-owned lines.

Could a backflow device be leaking?

If your home has one, yes. Sweetwater requires backflow devices for, among others, homes with auxiliary water sources, pumps, fire sprinkler systems, wells or gray water systems. Devices must be tested at installation and every year after by a tester the Authority has certified and approved, and the customer pays for testing, maintenance and repair. A leaking relief valve on an assembly can look like a yard leak, so it's one of the first things a plumber checks on a property that has one.

Local note

For water bubbling up at the meter or in the street, call Sweetwater Authority at (619) 420-1413, the number it lists for customer service and after-hours emergencies. If a repair needs a permit, confirm with the building department that covers your address, since Bonita's status is not confirmed in the sources used here. In the dry months, a strip of green lawn or a planter that never dries out along the line from the meter is worth pointing out to the plumber.