As the Arlington area continues to thaw, local plumbers are expecting a very busy week, answering calls for broken pipes. Pipes not only can burst when they are frozen, but also during the thawing process, which can lead to water damage. Read more on how you protect your pipes during frigid temperatures.

If you find a leak and your next water/sewer bill is exceptionally high, you may qualify for a one-time only leak adjustment after fixing the leak.

That's because the City of Arlington Water Utilities Department offers a Leak Adjustment Program for residents who receive a very large water bill because of an extraordinary leak on the property-a leak not in a fixture like a toilet, sink, tub or a garden hose, and requires a licensed plumber to repair.

The Leak Adjustment Program provides a discretionary reduction of up to 50% of certain abnormally high charges resulting from a hidden leak that was discovered and repaired. To qualify the high bill must be the result of a leak the customer could not be expected to detect readily, such as from an underground pipe.

Read the Guidelines to Request a Leak Adjustment document for more eligibility requirements.

The program compares the high bill to other normal bills from matching time periods and if the bill meets certain guidelines, the customer may get a reduction in the charges. However, the charges on the high bill will never be lowered by more than half their original value. Any leak adjustment will display as a credit on the customer's billing statement. If the leak is not completely repaired, an adjustment will not be offered.

No leak adjustments are considered for swimming pools or apartment accounts (unless each apartment/unit is separately metered).

Commercial accounts are considered for adjustment to both water and sewer, the same as residential accounts.

Interested in applying for an adjustment? Click here for more information or call 817-275-5931.