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Water Leaks

Reporting a leak

If you spot a water leak around town, don't assume we know about it. Please let us know as soon as possible so we can get on with fixing it.

Call our Customer Service Centre on 13 48 10 or Report a Problem online. Our Customer Service Representatives need as much detail as possible as to where a leak is and if it is in an unusual place, so please make sure you note the name of the street that the leak is on - not just the park name and address.

Property owner responsibility

Property owners are responsible for maintaining and repairing all pipes and fittings after the water meter, including internal plumbing, irrigation systems and garden watering infrastructure. Property owners are responsible for monitoring their water consumption and arranging repairs when leaks are identified. There is an arrow located on the meter near the display dials. The arrow points towards the owner's side of the meter, any leaks after this arrow are the owner's responsibility.

Council responsibility

Council is responsible for the water reticulation infrastructure up to and including the water meter. If you turn your water meter off and water continues to flow through the meter, please contact Council to attend and repair the isolation valve. Council does not manage plumbing infrastructure within private property.

What we need from you

Where is the spill located? (provide exact address, business name, street name, park name, suburb)
Where is the spill coming from? (front yard, back yard, manhole, pump station, bubbling out of the ground, pipe out of the ground)
Where is the spill going to? (park, into a lake, creek, river, stormwater, dry creek bed, drain, in the yard of house)
How much is spilling?
Does the spill water smell and/or contain any solids?
Are there people at the spill location? If so, how many?

A crew will then be dispatched to the location of the leak once the report has been received.

Water leaks and your water charges

Undetected or concealed leaks on private property can result in significantly higher water consumption charges. In certain circumstances, property owners may be eligible to apply for a reduction in water consumption charges where a concealed leak has occurred. This is assessed in line with Council's Reduction of Water Consumption Charges Policy.

Detecting leaks at home

Leaks can be extremely wasteful and costly. Regularly checking taps, pipes and fittings around your property could save precious water and precious money:

A dripping tap can use 30 to 50 litres or more per day.
A leaking pipe can easily use more than 7,000 litres per day.
A leaking toilet can use 10 to 260 litres or more per day.

Learn how to read your analogue meter or smart meter so that you can check to see if your water meter is ticking over.

Inside the home

Look in the kitchen, bathroom/s and laundry for dripping taps or leaking washing machine and dishwasher connections. Damp patches on the walls may also indicate a leak.

You can check your toilet cistern for leaks by dropping a dye tablet or a few drops of food colouring in the tank. Do not flush, wait 10-15 minutes, then look for colouring in the toilet bowl. If it's getting through then you have a leak.

Outside the home

Look around your garden at:

outdoor garden taps/hoses
garden irrigation (including sprinklers)
automatic solenoids and manual isolation valves
exposed pipework
hot water systems and air conditioning units
damp, uneven brick paving and garden areas that may be moister and greener than expected.

How to check for underground leaks

Turn off all taps on your property including the irrigation shut-off valve next to your water meter (if you have one)
Make sure no one is using water
Take a reading of the water meter
Check to see if the far right hand dial on the water meter is moving
Take another reading in one hour - this will be your leakage per hour
If the reading has not changed, repeat the process with the irrigation shut-off valve open (if you have one)
If the reading has changed or the dial is moving, contact a licensed plumber to locate and repair the leak.

If the self check doesn’t indicate an underground leak and you believe the meter is faulty, you can contact the Customer Service Centre or email Townsville Water to arrange to have the meter tested. Please note that a fee applies for this service.

What to do if you suspect a concealed leak

Arrange for a licensed plumber to investigate and repair the leak as soon as possible
Keep documentation relating to the leak and repairs
Once repairs are completed, you may apply for a reduction in charges in accordance with Council policy

For more information, read the Reduction of Water Consumption Charges Policy or contact the Customer Service Centre on 13 48 10.

Applying for a reduction in charges

A reduction in water consumption charges is not automatically applied when a leak occurs.

Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and must meet the criteria outlined in the Reduction of Water Consumption Charges Policy. All applications must be lodged in writing (letter or email) addressed to the CEO. Council has no obligation to provide financial assistance where higher-than-expected charges occur, including where leaks arise from pipes or fittings owned by the property owner.