A DEWA High Water Usage Alert is a reason to check your water consumption promptly. It may point to an internal leak, but first consider whether a recent activity could explain the increase.
The most useful response is to confirm the alert, review the affected period and inspect safely accessible parts of the property. If the cause is unclear, pass those observations to building management or a plumber so they can investigate further.
Confirm the account and the period
Open the official DEWA app or website directly and review the account associated with the message. Confirm that it relates to your property and note the dates involved. Save a copy of the alert and the available consumption information.
Consider what happened during that period. Visitors, extensive cleaning, irrigation changes or filling a pool can affect use. Ask anyone who had access to the home whether they used water or arranged maintenance.
If nothing explains the increase, continue with the checks below. Avoid waiting for another alert before acting on a concern you have already identified.
Understand what the alert can tell you
DEWA’s consumer FAQs explain that the feature identifies unusually high continuous consumption recorded by a smart water meter. It is a warning to investigate; it does not pinpoint the leak or guarantee that every leak will be detected.
That distinction is useful in both directions. An alert is not proof that a particular pipe has failed, and the absence of an alert is not proof that all plumbing is sound.
Inspect the places you can access safely
Walk through the property with your phone so you can photograph anything unusual. Check taps, toilets, visible appliance connections and cupboards beneath sinks. Look for drips, fresh water marks or a toilet that continues refilling when it is not being used.
In a villa, consider outdoor use as well. An irrigation schedule, an overflowing tank or water running somewhere you do not normally pass can make the cause less obvious. Ask the responsible contractor to check equipment you cannot reach safely.
Do not remove a water heater cover, touch wet electrical fittings or climb onto a roof to investigate. If water is spreading near electricity or a ceiling is bulging, keep clear and arrange urgent assistance rather than continuing the checklist.
Keep observations specific
“The bill is high” gives a plumber little to work with. A short record can make the first visit more productive:
Observation | Useful detail to record |
A toilet keeps making a refilling sound | Which bathroom and whether it happens without flushing |
A cupboard is damp | A wide photograph and a closer view of visible connections |
A stain is spreading | The date first noticed and photographs showing the change |
Consumption increased while you were away | Travel dates and who had access to the property |
No visible problem is found | Which rooms, fixtures and outdoor areas were checked |
If you can safely read a meter assigned specifically to your property, a plumber may ask for timed readings during a period of no intentional water use. Tank refilling and automatic systems can complicate interpretation, so do not treat meter movement alone as a diagnosis. Never alter a meter, its seals or shared valves.
Decide who needs to be involved
In an apartment, notify building management if the suspected source is above the ceiling, in a service shaft or outside your unit. Tell your landlord or property manager about damage and any access the contractor requests.
For an accessible plumbing problem within the property, arrange an inspection with a maintenance company. Mr Fixer provides plumbing services in Dubai, including leak repairs, toilet-related plumbing work and water heater repairs.
Questions about account information, consumption records or an alert belonging to another property should go to DEWA. Keep the utility enquiry and the physical investigation connected by retaining both reference numbers and service reports.
What to ask before a repair begins
Ask the plumber to describe the suspected source and what evidence supports it. Confirm whether the quotation covers finding the problem, repairing it and making good any surfaces that need to be opened.
Where the source remains uncertain, agree on the next diagnostic step before authorising extensive work. This is especially useful when more than one apartment or a shared system could be involved.
After the repair, ask what was replaced or adjusted and what follow-up check is appropriate. A concise written description helps if another contractor or building manager needs to review the history later.
Review consumption after the work
Compare subsequent usage with periods when the household was operating normally. Retain the repair invoice, photographs and relevant consumption records.
If the pattern remains unexplained, contact the plumber and DEWA with the updated information. A repair invoice does not automatically establish how a billing query will be resolved, so ask DEWA directly about your account.
FAQs
No. A change in actual use may explain it. If your activities do not account for the increase, visible and concealed plumbing conditions need investigation.
Contact someone authorised to access the property, such as your property manager. Share the alert and ask them to coordinate a check, photograph findings and report any urgent damage.
Yes. The alert service does not detect every possible leak. Act on visible water damage, persistent drips or unusual plumbing behaviour even if no notification arrives.
Arrange a plumbing inspection
Have the alert, property details and observations ready when you contact Mr Fixer. Explain whether water is actively escaping so the team can understand the urgency and discuss the next step.
