Checking for a leak can require an accountholder to perform simple tests, or more complicated measures if the initial observations don’t result in a clear indication of the problem. Leaks can exist in different areas of the home, but the most common places you’ll find leaks are in your bathroom toilets. Simply removing the top covering of the tank, adding some sort of food coloring, a small amount of cherry or grape soda, or some other colored drink, and letting the toilet sit and unused without flushing for 30-45 minutes will generally do the trick. When you return, if the food coloring or other substance you’ve used to check for the leak is in your bottom bowl, that means the flapper is not sealing correctly, which is allowing more water to go through your meter when in time of flushing. 

For sprinkler system leak-testing, double check your settings on the sprinkler system and make sure none of the heads are leaking. Sometimes, summertime heat could cause one of the heads to burst, causing water to leak through the head. For faucets, water softeners or water heaters, a simple visual test will often let you know one of these fixtures or devices is leaking. 

These types of leaks are all the responsibility of the homeowner to repair or resolve, as the City is only responsible for leaks that exist beyond the property line of your residence.

Generally, water consumption is higher during the summer months due to watering of lawns, pools and gardening. An unusually high water bill is most often caused by a leak or change in water usage. Some common causes of high water bills include:  

• a leaking toilet or a toilet that continues to run after being flushed, in which case a continuously running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water or more in one day; 
• a dripping faucet, a faucet drip can waste 20 gallons of water or more in one day;  
• filling or topping off a swimming pool; 
• watering the lawn, new grass or trees,
• kids home for summer vacation or school holidays; 
• guests or additional occupants in the home that increase overall water consumption; 
• a broken water pipe or obvious leak (check pipes in the basement or crawl space); 
• a leaking water heater; water softener problems, including devices that continuously cycle and 
• water-cooled air conditioners or running water to avoid freezing water pipes during cold weather 

Leaks, whether unseen or unrepaired, can waste hundreds and even thousands of gallons of water. It is important to routinely check your home plumbing, outside taps and irrigation lines.

The City of Pearland does provide an automated bank draft payments option. To sign up for the automatic bank draft payment feature, customers are required complete a form in person. A voided check must be provided.

Your bill may be paid in person at one of our offices or online at pearlandtx.gov.  There are also 24-hour drop boxes available in 3 locations: City Hall drive-thru at 3519 Liberty Drive, the Public Safety Building at 2555 Cullen Pkwy. and the Westside Event Center at 2150 Country Place Pkwy. (Smith Ranch Rd.).  You may also pay through the Interactive Voice Response System by calling 281.652.1603. Please make sure you have your account number when making a payment through this system.

A termination form can be completed and submitted online at pearlandtx.gov under water billing or in person at one of our offices. The form can also be faxed to our office at 281.997.5901 or 281.652.1700 or be emailed to utilityservice@pearlandtx.gov.  The request must include your name, address, date of termination and a forwarding address. Terminations are not accepted over the telephone.

If the account is not paid by the due date, a penalty or late fee will be incurred. If payment is not received within 20 days or if granted an extension and payment is not received within 35 days, the city has the right to disconnect and discontinue utility services.  Upon written notification, the city has the right to terminate service for non-payment and/or file a lien on the property if the account was terminated for delinquency.

The monthly bill includes charges for water, sewer and garbage. The water is measured by the amount that flows through your meter each month. It is read monthly and determines the amount of consumption that is billed monthly. The base charge for water is from 0 to 2,000 gallons. After 2,000 gallons it is billed in tiers depending on the amount of water used. Sewer is billed 6,000 gallons for customers who establish service prior to December. After a customer resides in the home a full year, a winter quarter average is calculated from the water consumption for the months of December, January and February. This determines the amount billed for sewer for the following year beginning March of each year. We urge you to conserve water these three months in order to lower your sewer bill for the year.  The city contracts with Waste Management for garbage service. Garbage is billed according to the Waste Management schedule. Sales tax is included with this service.

For additional rate information, please view the City's rate schedule. 

Commercial Applications 
The application can be completed online or submitted in person at one of our offices.  If printed out, the application can be faxed to our office at 281.997.5901 or 281.652.1700. It can also be emailed to utilityservice@pearlandtx.gov. After approximately 30 minutes, call our office to pay a deposit, $230 ($200 plus a $30 processing fee). The following documents are necessary when opening the account, an I.D. of each person on the account and paperwork showing the person responsible for the property or DBA paperwork.