Run a meter test tonight
Turn everything off
Taps, irrigation, the dishwasher, the washing machine and any rainwater pump. Make sure nobody showers or flushes during the test.
Read the meter
Photograph the dials or display so you have an exact starting point.
Wait an hour
Longer is better. Overnight works if the household is asleep.
Read it again
If it has moved with nothing running, water is escaping somewhere past the meter. Our leak check tool helps you narrow it down.
Adelaide leak clues
Rainwater tanks topped up from the mains
For houses, SA's plumbing code requires mains top-up of a rainwater tank to work through an automatic change-over or top-up device. If you have one, tell the leak specialist, because it's part of the system they'll need to test.
Wet ground near the street
SA Water says ground movement is the most common cause of its main breaks, and dry years bring more of them. Water surfacing in the footpath or road is a call for SA Water, not a plumber.
Where your part starts
We couldn't read SA Water's rule on where its water service ends and your pipe begins. If the leak looks close to the meter, ask SA Water before paying for a dig.
Repairs come with a certificate
Pipework from the mains water supply is on SA's list of eCOC work. After the repair, expect an electronic certificate of compliance within 7 days.
How a leak specialist narrows it down
A plumber who does leak detection will usually isolate parts of the system one at a time to see which section loses pressure. From there, listening equipment, thermal imaging or a camera can pinpoint the spot without opening up more wall or slab than needed.
Common hiding places include a toilet cistern that trickles into the bowl, a shower or bath mixer leaking inside the wall, the pipe from the meter to the house, and irrigation lines. Our pages on hidden leaks and a high water bill go further.
Before the specialist arrives
- Your meter test readings and the times you took them.
- Your last two water bills, to show the jump in use.
- Where you've noticed damp, mould, cracked tiles or soft ground.
- Whether you have a rainwater tank, pump or irrigation system.
- Whether your hot water unit's relief drain runs constantly.
Questions to ask the leak specialist
- How will you find the leak before opening anything up?
- Is the leak on my side, or could it be SA Water's?
- Will you give me a written report I can show SA Water or my insurer?
- Is the repair permanent, and will I get an eCOC?
What we would do
Run the meter test before booking anyone: it costs nothing and tells you whether there is a leak at all. If the meter moves, write down the readings and get a plumber who specialises in leak detection to find it, not one who starts by digging. Ask for the findings in writing, and if the leak turns out to be near the meter or in the street, take it to SA Water first.