Is the Reverse Osmosis System in Your Lanzarote Villa Doubling Your Water Bill?

Is the Reverse Osmosis System in Your Lanzarote Villa Doubling Your Water Bill?

Some villas in Lanzarote are equipped with an under-sink Reverse Osmosis (RO) system because many residents prefer not to drink the desalinated mains water. Even though the water is safe and meets EU standards, it often has a mineral or salty taste that makes it less pleasant to drink. While these systems provide clean drinking water, they can also be a hidden source of massive water waste.

Have you noticed a sudden jump in your usage? It might be a malfunctioning filtration system that is causing a high water bill in Lanzarote.

At Canary Detect, we often find that a silent leak isn't always a burst pipe or a structural failure. In many cases, it is an appliance that is designed to use water but has stopped shutting off correctly.

How a Reverse Osmosis System Wastes Water

A standard RO system has the process of pushing water through the membrane, producing brine or wastewater that is flushed away. The system is meant to stop the process when your storage tank is full. However, the system has an internal automatic shut-off valve in place, allowing it to continue running the process 24 hours a day when the valve fails.

Because this water goes directly into your villa's drainage system, you will never see a damp patch, a puddle, or a pool losing water. This makes it one of the most difficult leaks for a homeowner to identify without checking the meter specifically.

3 Signs Your RO System is Leaking

1. Constant Hissing: Listen to your kitchen cupboard. A faint, constant running water sound when the tank should be full indicates a bypass.
2. Cold Drain Pipes: The small plastic drain line under your sink should only be cold when the system is actively filling. If it is always cold, water is flowing non-stop.
3. The Metre Crawl: Look at your water meter when all taps are off. A slow, steady rotation often points to a filtration issue.

What to Do Next?

If you are sure your system is leaking, here are the steps to take next:

Step 1: The Isolation Test

Turn off the dedicated cold-water feed valve to your RO system for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Check the Metre

If the meter stops moving, the RO system is the culprit.

Step 3: Professional Survey

Is the metre still spinning? The leak is elsewhere in your plumbing. Contact Canary Detect for a professional survey.

Free Leak Confirmation

Before paying for a full survey, confirm you actually have a leak with our Free Leak Confirmation Test.

--- Contact Canary Detect for professional leak detection across Lanzarote. Our No Find, No Fee guarantee gives you total peace of mind. Contact us now →