Dealing with leaks at home

What to do if you find a leak on your property

Up to 9% of your home water use could be attributed to undetected leaks. That’s bucket loads of waste that could be impacting your water bill and potentially causing damage to your property.

If there’s a water leak on your property, there are a few signs you can look for. You might notice wet patches on your lawn that stay damp even when it hasn’t rained. Some areas of grass may feel soft or squishy underfoot, or you might see water flowing over the road or footpath, even though the weather has been dry. These signs could mean there’s a leaking pipe underground.

Reporting leaks in public spaces

If you’ve spotted a suspected leak in a public space, don’t assume anyone knows about it. To report suspected leaks, bursts or faults, call 1300 656 007 or visit Report a Fault.

What causes leaks?

Leaks can happen for a variety of reasons including, ground movement, pipe corrosion, damage to pipes or faulty pipes and fittings.

A leak in your home can waste bucket loads of water, impact your bills or even cause damage to your property. It's critical that you can find and fix them, even when they’re not immediately obvious.

Everything can leak eventually. Pipes, hot water services, plumbing fixtures and fittings can all get leaks regardless of age, location or construction method. They can occur in new homes, old homes, inside or outside, above or under the ground. Like a balloon that loses air and slowly deflates, liquids have a way of eventually finding their way into places they’re not supposed to go.

In the worst-case scenarios, small or slow leaks can eventually lead to disruptive bursts causing large amounts of damage and wasting hundreds of litres of water.

Responsibilities for fixing leaks

Both Barwon Water and property owners are responsible for ensuring that we protect the system that serves us and ensuring that water is not wasted.

Barwon Water owns and is responsible for water source infrastructure, up to the water meter and beyond the sewer connection point . If a problem is detected with these assets, it is our responsibility to fix it.

Property owners own and are responsible for the installation, repair, maintenance and replacement of any property pipes, plumbing fittings, any mains-connected water tanks and the pipes on their property. If a leak or blockage is detected in these pipes, repairs are the responsibility of the property owner.

To learn more, visit Checking for leaks

For more information about our shared obligations to each other, visit Victorian Water Industry Urban Water Corporations, Guideline for Unexplained High Usage and Undetected Leak Enquiries.

Checking for leaks

We recommend regularly checking your property for leaks or if you have a digital meter, providing up-to-date contact details to receive leak alerts.

Some older water meters cannot detect low flow rates, particularly as mechanical devices, they are prone to wear and tear and can become less accurate over time.

For more information visit Check for leaks