Leak facts for Darwin homes
Sweating pipes
February mornings at Darwin Airport average 83% humidity and a 24.5°C dew point. A pipe colder than the dew point gathers condensation, and that can drip like a leak.
Units stacked on units
A quarter of Greater Darwin's occupied homes (25.0%) were flats or apartments at the 2021 Census. In a unit, the water on your ceiling can start in the home above.
The verge needs a permit
If the leaking pipe runs under the verge or footpath, City of Darwin needs a works permit approved before anyone digs, with at least five working days' notice. It also recommends Dial Before You Dig.
Run a meter test tonight
Everything off
Turn off every tap and water-using appliance, including irrigation and any tank pump.
First reading
Read the water meter last thing at night and write down every digit.
Second reading
Read it again in the morning, before anyone uses water.
Compare
If the numbers moved, water is escaping somewhere. If they didn't, the damp you found is more likely condensation, an air conditioner drain or rain getting in.
Whose pipe, and whose bill?
Power and Water's own pages wouldn't load for our research, so we can't tell you where its pipe ends and yours starts, or whether it adjusts a bill after a hidden leak. Ask Power and Water before you pay for work near the meter, and keep the plumber's invoice in case it does.
Our high water bill guide covers the other usual reasons a bill jumps.
What you may fix yourself
If you own and live in the home, the NT Act lets you repair or replace an existing fitting on a cold water installation, such as a dripping cold tap. The new fitting must be at least as good, and its function and location can't really change.
Repairing pipes, working on an installation with an electric heating element, and anything to do with drains are jobs for a licensed plumber or drainer. Swapping a component for a similar one counts as minor plumbing maintenance, which the NT Building Regulations exclude. Bigger plumbing work done on its own needs notice to the Director within 7 days, with a certificate.
Questions for a Darwin leak specialist
- Is this a leak or condensation, and how can you tell?
- Is the leak on the property side of the meter?
- Will finding or fixing it mean digging on the verge, and who applies for the permit?
- Does this repair need a certificate lodged with the Director?
What we would do
Run the meter test on a dry night with the air conditioning off, so its drain can't fool you. If the meter moves, book a leak specialist and ask them to find the leak before quoting a repair. If it doesn't, look at insulation on cold pipes and where the air conditioner drains before paying for leak detection.