If the council has contacted you about a possible leak, it usually means your water usage is unusually high. You’ll need to find and fix the leak as soon as possible to avoid being charged for excess water. That’s where we come in — we specialise in tracking down hidden leaks.
Unfortunately, no. While our success rate is high, not all leaks can be located. If we’re unable to pinpoint the leak, we’ll talk you through the next steps and give you practical advice to move forward. Please note: our standard call-out charges still apply, even if the leak isn’t found.
Several things can make leak detection more challenging, including:
The size and volume of the leak (smaller leaks are quieter)
External noise (e.g. traffic or machinery)
Ground surfaces like concrete or asphalt
Pipe type, size, and depth
Soil conditions (rock, clay, etc.)
Water pressure
Underground features like cavities or drains that distort sound
In some cases, multiple leaks exist. We’ll always aim to detect the most significant one first, and if needed, return for further surveys once repairs are made.
In most jobs (around 80–90%), we find the leak within the first hour on site.
However, some jobs require more time, testing, or repeat visits to narrow things down. If that’s the case, we’ll let you know and talk through your options to keep things cost-effective.
It’s possible, but we usually can’t confirm multiple leaks in one visit. We’ll mark the strongest sound detected (which is often the worst leak), and recommend fixing that first. Once that’s repaired and water pressure is restored, a new survey may be needed if another leak appears.
If we don’t find a leak, we won’t leave you stuck. We can:
Help identify a good location to replace or reroute your pipe
Suggest a process of elimination (e.g. isolating sections of pipe)
Refer you to trusted companies for directional drilling or pipe repairs
Assist with underground utility locating before new work begins
We’ll give you honest advice and support to move forward, even if we couldn’t detect the leak ourselves.
A spike in your water bill is usually the first sign. Here’s how to run a simple check:
Make sure all taps and appliances are turned off.
Put a piece of toilet paper at the back of each toilet bowl to check for slow leaks.
Look at your water meter — if it’s spinning when no water is being used, there’s likely a leak.
To measure the leak size, record how much water is being lost in one minute by watching the small red numbers (litres and millilitres) on the meter.
For example:
10 litres per minute = large leak
1.5 litres per minute = moderate
500 mL or less = slow, harder-to-find leak
Disclaimer – Please Read Before Engagement
This agreement outlines the terms under which The Leak Detection Company provides underground water leak detection services to the person or organisation engaging us (“you”).
You acknowledge that our services are designed to assist with the identification of potential underground water leaks and buried services. While The Leak Detection Company utilises the latest technology and industry-accepted best practices for underground leak detection, we cannot guarantee a detection survey will result in the positive location of any/all leaks. This is subject to several factors that are out of our control, including but not limited to ground conditions, external noise sources, pipe/leak depth and leak size/volume.
No assurance can be given about the exact location of any underground leak or utility identified by The Leak Detection Company. The only way to confirm any such finding is through visual verification. (Refer: AS 5488.1.2019 – Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE), Quality Level A).
The accuracy of our detection tools and techniques can vary. Any positions or depths indicated should not be considered exact. You are responsible for confirming all positions and depths using hand digging or hydro excavation methods prior to any mechanical excavation.
The Leak Detection Company accepts no responsibility for any damage, disruption, or harm caused to underground services, or for any injury, financial loss, or other consequences resulting from such incidents—whether affecting you or any other party such as contractors, owners, customers, service providers, councils, or others. You agree to fully indemnify The Leak Detection Company against all such claims, damages, and associated costs.
If, despite the above, any liability does arise on the part of The Leak Detection Company (in contract, tort, or otherwise), that liability will be limited to the total amount paid by you for our services. We are not liable for loss of income, contracts, business opportunities, or any indirect or consequential damages.
These limitations and protections extend to all staff, agents, officers, and contractors of The Leak Detection Company.
You acknowledge that this document forms the entire agreement between you and The Leak Detection Company, and no other terms, representations, or assurances—unless documented here—are part of the agreement.
Non-account holders: Payment is due immediately upon completion of the job or site visit. Payment can be made on-site by cash, EFTPOS, or credit card, unless prior arrangements have been made.
Account holders: Payment is due by the 20th of the month following the invoice date.
Overdue accounts: A 25% interest fee will be added, and a new invoice issued. Any costs incurred in recovering the debt will be charged to the account holder.
Bank Account for Payment:
ASB – 12-3456-7890-01
Any concerns or disputes about an invoice must be raised with The Leak Detection Company within 7 days of either the site visit or receipt of the invoice.
