Right now
Isolate the water
Close the valve at the meter. If water is near the switchboard or power points, stay clear and switch off at the board only from somewhere dry.
Gas smell
Leave the switches alone, get everyone outside, turn off the gas at the meter or bottle if you safely can, and ring the emergency number on your gas bill. Call 000 if anyone is in danger.
Sewage coming up
Stop all water use. TasWater asks to hear about sewage or water flooding as soon as you know of it.
Photos before the clean-up
TasWater says damage from failed water or sewer pipes may be covered by household insurance. Call your insurer and keep damaged items until the claim is settled.
Hobart emergencies, and who owns them
Frozen meters and pipes
TasWater says sub-zero nights in Tasmania can freeze the water in meters and above-ground pipes. Let them thaw as the day warms. A meter or street-side problem goes to TasWater; damage on the house side needs your licensed plumber.
Storm flooding
Stormwater is the local council's responsibility, the City of Hobart within its area. Sewage and water main flooding goes to TasWater.
Hidden leaks and your bill
A concealed leak, once fixed by a licensed plumber, may qualify for a TasWater rebate of up to 50% of the water usage above your average bill. TasWater allows it once per property for as long as you own it.
Don't wait until morning if
- Water won't stop at a tap, valve or the meter.
- Water is coming through a ceiling or near electrics.
- Sewage is coming up through a floor waste, shower or toilet.
- The hot water tank is leaking from the tank itself.
- You smell gas, after ringing the gas emergency number.
Frozen, or burst?
On a frosty morning, no water at all may mean a frozen meter or pipe rather than a burst: TasWater says freezing can stop water reaching your home. Its advice is patience. Let things thaw as the temperature rises, and cover the meter before the next cold night. Water may come out brown at first, which TasWater says is normal after a freeze, so run the taps until it's clear.
If water starts spraying or pooling as things thaw, a pipe has split. Close the valve and call a plumber. Our burst pipes page covers what happens next.
Who may do urgent work in Tasmania
Urgency doesn't change the licence rules. Whoever contracts for the job needs a Tasmanian plumbing contractor licence of the right class, and the person on site needs a practitioner licence. Ask for both numbers, and check them on the state's licence register once things are calm.
What we would do
Once the water is off, take a breath and photograph everything before you mop. Work out whether the problem is in the street or the main, which is TasWater's, stormwater, which is Council's, or on your side, which is yours. Only the last needs your own plumber. If you do need one, choose someone who handles urgent work every week, and ask how after-hours work is charged before they begin.