How the ACSA Team Can Help You with a (Non-Emergency) Continuous Flow Alert

What Is A Continuous Flow Alert?

As Albemarle County residents, we all want to conserve water. If you’re one of our customers, you might have received an email or call about a “continuous flow alert” at your property. Your first thought may be: “Oh no, I have a major problem. This fix is going to be expensive.” But before worrying about burst pipes or flooding, take a deep breath.

A continuous flow water alert is your meter’s way of saying, “Hey, something unusual is happening in your water system — you might want to check likely culprits, such as toilets and faucets, to see if anything’s wrong.”

This alert is triggered by our Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), which detects water flowing continuously through your meter for an extended period of time (continuous consumption for over 24 consecutive hours). AMI helps you catch small issues in your water system before the problems get worse and your bill increases. If your meter never sees a zero-flow period, the ACSA team is notified.

Why Your Continuous Flow Alert Is Almost Never an Emergency

A continuous flow alert does not indicate a water emergency. In fact it’s usually a minor leak.

Even better news? An alert doesn’t automatically mean you’ll face a hefty bill. Because our system catches these issues early, addressing them promptly keeps your monthly charges from skyrocketing.

The most common culprits include:

A slow water leak/running water in the toilet bowl
Dripping faucets or showerheads
Irrigation system leaks or stuck valves
Continuously cycling humidifiers
Running outdoor hoses

These issues might waste water over time (and we definitely want to help you fix them!), but they’re not going to flood your home or result in a shocking bill overnight. While ACSA’s on-call emergency maintenance staff can’t help with continuous flow alerts, customer service can help you during regular business hours!

How We’ve Got Your Back: Our Alert System

In the past you might not have noticed leaks until your monthly meter reading. Now with advanced metering infrastructure and continuous flow alerts, we catch continuous water flow within about 24 hours and immediately work to resolve the issue.

Our notification process depends on how much water is flowing:

10-50 gallons per hour: We’ll send you an email alert. If we don’t have an email address for you on file, we’ll mail you a letter.
Over 50 gallons per hour: We’ll call you directly to make sure you get the message.
Can’t reach you by phone? We’ll leave a voicemail, send an email and mail a letter.
High consumption continues? We’ll even deliver a door tag to your home with toilet dye strips for testing!
Over 100 gallons per hour and we haven’t heard from you? If we’ve tried every possible way to get in touch with you and the leak is significant, we’ll turn off your meter within 48 hours.

This means minor leaks can be caught earlier and faster than ever before!

How Continuous Flow Alerts are Different from a Real Water Emergency

Let’s break down the difference between a true water emergency and a continuous flow alert:

Continuous Flow Alerts (Non-Emergency)	Water Emergency (Call for Help Immediately)
You get an email or call from ACSA.	You see water pooling, spraying or flooding parts of your home.
No visible signs of water damage.	The ceiling is sagging or showing water stains.
Potentially a faint dripping sound or running toilet.	Loud sounds of rushing water.
Water usage is higher than normal but not extreme.	Sudden loss or extreme drop in water pressure.
Can call the ACSA customer service line during regular business hours to address the issue.	Water is near electrical systems.

IMPORTANT: If you’re experiencing a water emergency, shut off your main water valve immediately and call a plumber. If you can’t locate or turn off your main valve, call our 24/7 emergency line at 434-977-4511 and our standby staff should be able to turn your meter off.

Received a Continuous Flow Alert from the ACSA? Here’s What to Do.

Since continuous flow alerts are preventive notifications, here’s what we recommend:

Don’t panic! Your home isn’t flooding, and the continuous flow alert does not mean a massive water bill for the month.
Check water sources in your home — toilets are the most common culprit! To monitor, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait 20 minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, you’ve found a leak.
Once you’ve found the source of the running water, call us during regular business hours at 434-977-4511. Our customer service team can help you understand usage patterns and provide tips for finding and fixing common leaks.

In short, your AMI meter caught a small issue that old meters can’t detect. Thanks to the alert, we can help you fix it quickly, conserve water and save money on your monthly water bill!

Remember: Continuous Flow Alerts Are Not an Emergency

Continuous flow alerts are helpful reminders, not urgent alarms. They’re part of how our AMI system helps you stay up to date on your water use. When you get these alerts, make a note to investigate when convenient and call us during regular business hours if you need assistance.

Questions about your water usage or need help understanding your continuous flow alert? Contact ACSA customer service at 434-977-4511 during regular business hours.

Remember: If water is visibly leaking, spraying or pooling anywhere in your home, that’s an emergency. Otherwise, a continuous flow alert can wait until tomorrow. Your AMI meter is doing its job by protecting our water resources and your wallet. For more water-saving tips and conservation initiatives, visit serviceauthority.org/water-conservation. To learn more about leak detection and repair, check out our Leak Detection Tips and Tricks.