Meter test, then detection
High water bill in Perth? Find the leak
High water bill in Perth with no obvious cause? It often comes from a hidden leak. Check your meter first. If it moves with every tap off, we find and document the leak.
- PL7390 Plumbing Licence
- GF13592 Gas Permit
- Master Plumbers WA
- A Plumbed Right Company
- 5.0 star Google reviews
Why a high water bill usually means a hidden leak
Water that passes through your meter is billed to you, whether you used it or not. A cracked pipe under a slab, inside a wall or under the lawn can leak for months with no puddle.
Often the bill is the first sign. A simple meter test tells you whether water is leaving the property.
- Bill higher than the same period last year
- No change in how many people live there
- No new pool, garden or appliance using water
Water meter running with no taps on? Test it yourself
This test takes about ten minutes and costs nothing. Do it at a time when nobody needs water.
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Turn off every tap and water-using appliance
Include the dishwasher, washing machine, reticulation, pool top-up and evaporative air conditioner.
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Find your water meter and note the reading
It is usually near the front boundary. Write down the numbers or take a photo of the dial.
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Wait ten minutes without using any water
Watch the small dial or indicator. It should sit still.
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Read the meter again
If the reading has changed or the dial is turning, water is leaving the property somewhere past the meter.
A still meter is useful to know too. The higher bill may come from extra use or a running toilet rather than a hidden pipe leak.
Meter still moving? Here is the path from here
Call us with your meter result. We ask where you suspect the leak and confirm the scope and price before you book.
What we do
- Locate the leak with non-destructive detection equipment.
- Document the leak location in a written report with photos.
- Explain the next step for the repair.
What happens next
- A licensed plumber, often Plumbed Right, quotes and repairs the leak on a separate visit.
- You keep the repairing plumber's tax invoice.
- You apply for the leak allowance within six months of the repair. We can assist.
Outdoor hot and cold water leak detection is a fixed price from $895. For leaks inside the home, we confirm the scope and price with you before booking.
What Perth customers noticed first
Two Google reviews from customers who started with a rising bill.
Kristy Marcon, Victoria Park
Rhys Lloyd, East Perth
Read more before you book
How the Water Corporation leak allowance works
8 signs of a hidden leak
Outdoor leak detection with a fixed price
Leak detection report for insurance
High water bill questions
Who pays for a leak, the tenant or the landlord?
Water Corporation treats a leak on the property side of the meter as the owner's responsibility. Who pays for the repair and the extra water between a tenant and a landlord depends on the lease. Check your lease and talk to your property manager. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does home insurance cover finding a hidden leak?
It depends on your policy. Check your policy PDS or ask your insurer before you book. We provide a written detection report showing where the leak is, which you can give to your insurer. We cannot tell you whether a claim will be accepted.
Can I get some of the water charge back?
Possibly. Water Corporation's leak allowance can credit up to 50% of the water lost through an eligible hidden leak. The leak must be repaired by a licensed plumber, and you apply with the repairing plumber's invoice within six months of the repair. We can assist with the application. Our leak allowance guide explains who qualifies.
Do you repair the leak on the same visit?
No. We find and document the leak. A licensed plumber, often our parent company Plumbed Right, quotes and repairs it on a separate visit. Keep that plumber's tax invoice, because the leak allowance claim relies on it.
Get my high water bill checked
Call 0482 096 044 with your meter result. We confirm the scope and price before you book.
- Licensed PL7390
- Based in Beldon WA