SALISBURY — Having to deal with a water leak can be a daunting and expensive task, but the city of Salisbury wants residents to know that they don’t have to do it alone. Over the summer, the city has been holding in-person “Know Your Rights About Leaks” information sessions at the Salisbury Customer Service Center for anyone who needs help getting a leak fixed.

The idea for these sessions came from the Customer Service Center Manager Caren Lightfoot. Code Services Manager Michael Cotilla says the service is mainly for people who rent and are having issues with a leak, but their landlords are not being helpful about it.

“Our job, as minimum housing enforcement officers, is to be the middle man, or the liaison, or the advocate for the tenants to try and get these leaks addressed,” Cotilla said.

After someone reports a leak, Code Services arrives to inspect that person’s home, finds the source of it, contacts the property owners, and has them resolve the problem.

“The main culprit is always going to be the flapper inside the toilet, which is the device that shuts the water off after you flush the toilet. Just like everything else in life, nothing lasts forever. Those things get worn out over time. Right now, that is main cause of water leaks to our customers,” Cotilla said.

Even though the sessions are only during the summer, the main service is still offered year-round to look at other projects such as heating in the winter or roof leaks.

Another advantage to this program is that the city can potentially assist with a high water bill due to leaks. Tenants can turn in a receipt from a plumber, landlord or any other documentation to the customer service center proving the leak has been fixed. The city will then do a bill adjustment so the person does not have to pay the full amount.

The next in-person session will take place on Friday, Aug. 25 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, contact Code Services Manager Michael Cotilla at 704-216-7574, mcoti@salisburync.gov.