Is your home hiding a water leak?

Perth homeowners are being urged to take action to fix internal water leaks, with research showing nearly 19 billion litres of scheme water is being lost each year from around 273,000 leaky metropolitan homes.

 The Water Corporation data followed a four-year study of water use habits at 2,500 homes in Perth and Peel.

It found close to 15 per cent of homes have a leak on any given day, while 30 per cent of households had some form of plumbing leak at least once a year. The average leak loses just over 9 litres of precious water each hour or 218 litres a day.

According to Water Corporation Demand Delivery Manager Damien Postma, leaks were most common on taps, toilets, hot water systems, air conditioners and garden reticulation.

He said fixing household leaks would significantly reduce scheme water use across the metro area, while also saving hundreds on water bills each year.

“To put it in context, 19 billion litres is equivalent to around 19 Optus Stadiums full of water. Given the impact of climate change on rainfall in WA, if we can bring this number down it could make a big difference towards future water security,” Mr Postma said.

“Our research also found bills increased anywhere from $153 to $1,800 a year as a direct result of water leaks inside and outside the home. Taking action to fix these leaks isn’t only important for the wider community, but also helps your household budget. 

“Our message is please don’t ignore those dripping taps, leaking toilets or broken reticulation fittings.

“In isolation, these things might seem minor, but across Perth and Peel we can achieve significant water savings by contacting a licensed plumber or waterwise irrigation specialist to fix household leaks.”

Murray Thomas, CEO of The Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association (WA), said as well as visible leaks, plumbers often found hidden leaks inside walls or on irrigation systems.

“A dripping tap is quite obvious, but many leaks can be hidden and the longer they’re left, the bigger the problem they can become,” Mr Thomas said. 

“The best way to check if you have a hidden leak is to turn off all indoor and outdoor taps, record the last three digits of your water meter, wait 15 minutes and then see if the numbers have increased.”

For help finding a licensed waterwise plumber or irrigation specialist, visit the online directory on Water Corporation’s website.

If you’ve had a hidden leak fixed or think you might have a leak, you may be eligible for an allowance of up to 50 per cent of the estimate water lost. For more information visit the Leak Allowance page of Water Corporation’s website.

A plumber replaces a leaking shower head - Fixing hidden leaks can save billions of litres of water