Stop the water
Close the stop tap
It's usually beside the water meter. Turn it clockwise until it stops.
Drain what's left
Open a cold tap at the lowest point of the house to empty the pipes and take the pressure off the break.
Protect the hot water unit
Turn off its power at the switchboard, or its gas, so it doesn't heat without water coming in.
Mind the electrics
If water has reached power points, lights or appliances, switch off at the switchboard only if you can do it from a dry spot.
Take photos
Photograph the damage and the break before anything is cleaned up.
Burst pipes, the Adelaide picture
Frost is rare in town
The Bureau's West Terrace station averages 0.3 days a year at 2°C or colder, and 0.0 days at freezing, over 102 years of records.
Colder on the northern plains
Parafield Airport averages 9.4 days a year at 2°C or below and 1.4 at 0°C or below. Edinburgh RAAF has 8.7 and 1.0. Exposed pipes and outdoor taps up there are worth lagging.
Ground that shrinks in dry years
SA Water says ground movement is the most common cause of its main breaks, and it sees more of them in low rainfall years, when soil shrinks and hardens.
How old is the main in your street?
SA Water describes an interactive map where you can enter an address, click a main and see when it was laid, any planned works and its life expectancy.
Is it your pipe?
| Most likely | Who to call | |
|---|---|---|
| Water rising from the footpath or road | An SA Water main | SA Water, using the number on your bill |
| Spraying at or near the meter | Could be either side | SA Water first: we couldn't confirm where its part ends at the meter |
| Water through a wall, ceiling or floor | Your pipe | A plumber who handles burst pipes |
| A garden patch that stays wet | A buried leak | A leak detection specialist |
What a plumber will do
A plumber will find the break, cut out the damaged section and join in new pipe, then pressure test the line before the water goes back on. If the pipe is in a wall or under a slab, finding it can take longer than fixing it.
Pipework from the mains water supply is on South Australia's list of eCOC work, so expect an electronic certificate of compliance within 7 days. Ask whether the repair is permanent, and whether other pipes of the same age are likely to follow.
Questions to ask about a burst pipe
- What caused this one: age, movement, a fitting or damage?
- Is the repair permanent or temporary?
- Are other sections of the same pipe at risk?
- Should any exposed pipes or taps here be lagged?
- When will I receive the eCOC?
What we would do
Find your stop tap now and make sure it turns, because a stiff one is no use in a flood. If water is coming up in the street, leave it to SA Water. If it's inside your boundary, turn it off, photograph it and get a plumber who fixes burst pipes to find the cause, not just the hole. In the northern suburbs or the Hills, lag the pipes that sit out in the open.