How to check for leaks
Water leaks are bad for your property and bad for the environment. An undetected water leak can cost you extra in water bills but could also be causing more expensive structural damage to your property. Left unchecked a water leak can even attract termites.
To help you avoid costly repairs and unnecessary water usage charges we have created a simple three-step test that only takes a few minutes to complete.
Your water meter records the amount of water your household uses and this is used to calculate your bill. To perform the test you will need to know how to read your meter. The example below explains what the numbers mean.
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Note: 1 kilolitre = 1000 litres |
You can also go to our ‘How to read your meter’ page for instructions and examples of water meters around the Shoalhaven.
Step 1
Find your water meter and record the reading. Make sure you do not use any water afterwards for a few hours. Just before bed is a good time.
Step 2
Read the meter again a few hours later (or in the morning) making sure you haven’t used any water during the test period.
Step 3
Compare the two sets of numbers. If they are the same there are no leaks. If they are different, subtract the first reading from the second and the difference will tell you how bad the leak is if you cannot account for the water use.
Other ways to reduce the chance of leaks
Water leaks can occur if internal pipes within the property are not appropriately sized or of sufficient quality. When laying house, installing garden or using pipes for rural purposes which are directly connected from the meter, ensure you use the appropriate grade of poly pipes. As a guide, the thicker grade ‘metric poly pipes’ are generally rated to 1,250 kpa against the rural grade B poly pipes’ which are only rated to 600 kpa. Only metric poly pipes should be used as an internal line connected directly from the water meter. Ensure the lines are installed subsurface to avoid solar or accidental damage. This is particularly important on rural properties with animals.
The water pressure supplied by Shoalhaven Water is provided to the boundary of a property between 15 metres and 90 metres head of water. The pressure within these limits may vary between properties and will depend on the property’s distance from the nearest pump station or gravity point.
For properties located in an area of higher water pressure range, the use of a pressure limiting valve to vary the degree of supply downstream from the water meter is recommended where reduced pressure is preferred. A pressure limiting device can generally be purchased from plumbing supplies or hardware outlets and, privately installed down stream of the meter.
Monitor water usage through the meter regularly and if absent from the property for any lengthy period, consider turning the water off at the meter.