Think you have a leak on your supply? 

As we have been in drought in some parts of our region and want to SAVE EVERY DROP, we’re offering to fix customer leaks on their individual supply pipework for FREE*.

Is it a leak, or are you just using more water?

You may suspect you have a private leak because your bill is higher than normal. Although it's great to check, you should first make sure it's not because you're just using more water than normal.

Here are some things that may cause your bill to be higher than normal:

  • Have you been washing your hands more lately?
  • Have you had guests stay over who have used your shower or bath?
  • Are you watering your garden more than normal?
  • Have you had a new appliance installed that may be using more water?

See below information on how to check for a leak, what leaks we can't fix, and our online form which only takes a minute to fill out. Once you've filled out our online form, we’ll aim to call you back as quickly as possible. Please feel free to call us on 0800 230 0561 to report the leak if it needs our urgent attention.

Our pipework 

This consists of the water main, the large underground pipe which is usually found in the highway or road, and the communication pipe that runs from the water main to the boundary of the street. This pipe work is our responsibility. 

Individual/joint pipework 

This is the supply pipe that runs underground from the street boundary to the internal stop tap in your home. Where there is pipework for more than one house, any joint pipework is both homeowners’ responsibility; the individual pipework is just your responsibility. 

If you have a leak on your supply pipes, let us know. We’ll send One of our Customer Leakage Technicians to carry out a survey and discuss the next steps with you. We might be able to fix it for FREE.

If you do not have a water meter you’ll need to look for signs of a leak which could include:

  • Damp patches within your home or driveway
  • Mould on ceilings and walls
  • A hissing or knocking noise coming from the pipes in your home

Your pipework and fittings 

These are all of the pipes inside of your home. These pipes are your responsibility. 

 

 

water responsibility supply diagram

How to check for a leak if you're on a meter

Before you start, make sure you won’t need to use any water for 1 hour. You may also want a cloth to wipe your meter clean so that you can see all the numbers clearly.

 

If you're unable to carry out the leak check, please call our helpline or complete the form at the bottom of this page to report your suspected leak.

 

check-leak-meter-south-west-water-1.jpg

 

 

If your meter numbers have changed 

If the numbers on your meter have changed, you’ll need to carry out a test to find out where it’s coming from so that we can work together to get it fixed.


Follow these simple steps to find out where it is located:

  1. Turn off all taps and appliances
  2. This time, you’ll need to find your internal stop tap and turn it anti-clockwise to the off position  (to check it is off turn on your tap and no water should come out)
  3. Read and note down all of the numbers on the dials of your meter
  4. Wait for 1 hour without using any appliances and take another meter reading
  5. You can now turn your stop tap back on by turning it clockwise, back to the on position.

 

Your leak location results

If the numbers on the meter dials haven’t changed, the leak is likely to be inside your home. If they have changed, the leak is likely to be on your supply pipe (the pipe between your external meter and your internal stop tap).


Let us know where your leak is coming from by completing our leak form so that we can see how we might be able to help you with the cost of your repair.

If your meter numbers haven’t changed 

If the numbers on the meter dials haven’t changed between each reading, you probably don’t have a leak.

However, it may be worthwhile checking to see if you have a small leak that may not have shown up on your meter. To do this we’d recommend that you do another leak check overnight.

Take a meter reading last thing at night and another first thing in the morning, just remember not to use any water, like flushing the toilet or turning on any taps.

 

 

How to check for a leak if you're not on a meter

If you think you have a leak inside your property, let us know by completing our leak form so that we can see how we might be able to help you with the cost of your repair.

 

check-leak-nometer-south-west-water.jpg

 

If you do not have a water meter you’ll need to look for signs of a leak which could include:

  • Damp patches within your home or driveway
  • Mould on ceilings and walls
  • A hissing or knocking noise coming from the pipes in your home

 

Leaks we may not be able to fix

We're aiming to help fix as many supply pipe leaks as possible. Unfortunately, your technician might find that we can’t fix your leak. This may be due to:

  • Where there are third party access issues
  • Tenanted properties where we don’t have the landlords permission to carry out repairs
  • Complex engineering difficulties, including:
    • notable changes in ground level
    • surface finishes
    • placement of structures (permanent or temporary)
    • shared supplies
    • internal pipework

Got a leak on your supply? Let us know

 

Think you have a leak on your supply?

 

Help with the cost of your leak repair

 

Claim for a leak allowance

 

How we are tackling leakage

* Private service leak repair agreement

  1. Subject to the following provisions of this agreement the Company will provide the free repair of one leak on the private service pipe supplying water to the premises identified in for this agreement. The free elements of the repair service will cover: 
    - Effective repair of the leak backfill of the excavation to safe condition using similar materials to those removed.
  2. No responsibility will be accepted for the work undertaken by our contractors to repair the leak other than the satisfactory workmanship at the time and the pipework/ fittings will become your property and their future maintenance your responsibility.
  3. This agreement does not include final reinstatement of any ground excavated to find and/or repair a leak. Final reinstatement will be the responsibility of the Customer who will have to engage her or his own contractor to undertake this work.
  4. In the event that a leak is detected underneath an established garden, the Customer will be responsible for removing plants and shrubs from the vicinity of the area to prepare the ground for excavation. The Customer will be responsible for replacing any plants or shrubs after repair work and back-filling is complete. The Company shall have no liability whatsoever for consequential loss or damage resulting from the removal and re-planting.
  5. Where a service pipe passes through land belonging to a third party, the Customer will be responsible for obtaining all necessary legal rights, approvals and consents before leak detection and repair begins. Whilst the Company may assist the Customer in gaining authorisation, by signing the acceptance of the terms and conditions of this contract the Customer confirms that all such necessary legal rights, approvals and consents have been obtained and indemnifies and holds harmless the Company against any action for trespass, nuisance or loss resulting from a failure to do so.
  6. The Company’s liability under this agreement is limited to (i) any damage arising from its own negligence or that of its contractor; and (ii) its obligation to ensure an effective repair of the leaking pipe and reinstatement in accordance with the provisions of this agreement.
  7. If you experience a leak in the same location of the pipe within one year of the repair, the Company will re-attend to investigate. The Company will undertake a further repair only if it believes the materials or workmanship to be the cause of the further leak. If the leak has occurred for any other reason it will be the responsibility of the Customer to arrange to repair the leak or replace the service pipe entirely
  8. The Company shall not be liable for any failure to fulfil any terms of any transactions governed by these Conditions if fulfilment thereof has been delayed, hindered or prevented by any circumstances whatsoever which are not within the Company’s reasonable control.