Despite a high-tech water meter with real-time monitoring, one Abbotsford property owner didn’t know his pipes were leaking until heracked up more than $5,000 in water fees — and sent over half a million litres of water down the drain. Darshan Sharma, who rents out a commercial property owned by his wife Nirmla on Montrose Avenue, was surprised to get a water billover $500 two weeks ago. His building, currently rented to an antique furniture seller, has two toilets and three sinks, and water usagefor the property has seldom exceeded $20 per month. When he called the city, they told him his next water bill was already over $5,000.