Do these first, in this order
Smell gas? Get out
Leave the house, keep flames and switches alone, and ring the gas emergency number on your gas bill once you're outside.
Water near a power dome? Keep away
Water Corporation says to stay clear, call Western Power, and not touch the meter's valve or pipework while you wait.
Water pouring? Close the mains tap
It's beside the meter, which usually sits near the verge. Turn it clockwise. If it's stiff, turn it anticlockwise first to break the seal, then clockwise to close.
Sewage overflowing? Report it
Wastewater spilling anywhere on the property goes to Water Corporation's faults line straight away, day or night. The number is on your water bill.
Then book the plumber
Tell us what happened, where, and whether the water is off. Local plumbers who cover your area see the job.
Perth emergencies, and who handles them
A mains tap that won't shut
If it still won't close after you've tried both ways, Water Corporation sends someone to repair it. That one isn't a plumber's job.
A leak on the road side of the meter
At a single detached home, water escaping between the plumber's elbow and the roadside is Water Corporation's to fix. Between the plumber's elbow and the house, it's yours.
Flooding from a main
If water or sewage from Water Corporation's mains floods your home, call your insurer first. Water Corporation says it refunds the insurance excess and considers uninsured losses.
Frozen pipes are rare
Perth Airport averages 0.2 days a year at 0°C or colder. Water Corporation's list of leak causes is wear and tear, faulty fittings, corrosion and ground movement.
After hours in Perth
Water Corporation's faults line is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If a night-time blockage turns out to be in its sewer, its crew clears it, and the standard fee it pays plumbers for locating a blockage has a higher rate outside normal hours.
The rules don't relax after dark. The plumber's licence or permit number belongs on the quote and the invoice, and knowingly engaging someone unlicensed for plumbing work is an offence in WA. Gas work at any hour needs a gasfitting licence.
Warning signs on an urgent call
- No licence or permit number anywhere on the quote or invoice.
- A gas repair from someone who can't show a gasfitting licence card.
- Pressure to dig up or replace pipes that night, once the water is already off.
- Clearing a blockage past the sewer junction instead of calling Water Corporation.
What we would do
Find your meter and mains tap today, before you need them, and try turning the tap so you know it moves. In an emergency, stop the water, keep clear of any power dome, and decide whether it's Water Corporation's problem or yours. Once the water is off, a leak inside the house can often wait until morning, when the decision is calmer. When you do call, we'll match the job with a plumber who specialises in urgent work, and only the plumber who takes it gets your contact details.