See something, say something.

Water theft isn’t a victimless act—it impacts your water system, your safety, and your wallet.

LVMWD staff work around the clock to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water. But illegal water use—especially from fire hydrants—threatens that mission. When water is stolen, it impacts system pressure that's needed for firefighting, damages critical infrastructure, and increases costs for everyone.

Report Suspected Water Theft

If you believe you’ve witnessed water theft, please complete the form below.

Why It Matters

Public Safety
Unauthorized use of fire hydrants can lower water pressure during emergencies and introduce contamination into the system. Improper connections can also damage hydrants, making them unreliable when they’re needed most.

Cost to Customers
Water theft leads to lost revenue and costly repairs—expenses that ultimately impact ratepayers. Across California, agencies lose millions of gallons of water each year due to theft.

Water Efficiency
Every drop counts. Water theft undermines conservation efforts and the state’s water efficiency goals.

What Does Water Theft Look Like?

Water theft can take many forms, including:

• Unauthorized use of fire hydrants
• Filling water trucks without a permit or hydrant meter
• Tampering with water meters
• Illegal connections to the water system

Some of these activities are organized and intentional, often involving specialized tools and equipment.

Help Protect Your Water System

You are our eyes and ears in the community. If you see suspicious activity—especially involving fire hydrants or large water trucks—please report it.

Your report can help:

• Prevent damage to infrastructure
• Protect emergency response capabilities
• Reduce costs for the community