How we fix leaks

Stopping water going to waste is really important to us, so we’ll always fix any leaks we’re told about - or that we spot - as quickly as we can. But it’s important to know that how fast we can get to work depends on where the leak is.

Here are some of the common reasons that mean we can’t get to work as quickly as we’d like:

The leak’s on or near a busy road so we have to get permission from the Highways Authority. That can take several weeks for them to grant unless it’s an emergency.
If there’s a gas pipe, tree or lamppost in the way that we need to get permission to work near
We have to wait for a specific time to work – sometimes the local council will only let us work out of hours or in the school holidays to minimise disruption to traffic
We need to organise specialist equipment to fix the leak. This takes time to get it to site and then be ready to use.

Find out below about how we fix leaks in a public space or at your home.

Fixing a leak in a public place

First things first, we'll head out to take a look at the leak to understand what's causing it. Sometimes we find that the ‘leak’ is actually a natural spring or that it’s from a water pipe that’s not one of ours. When the leak is coming from a supply that’s not ours (e.g. from a customer’s supply pipe or the water pipe that supply farm land), we’ll let them know there’s a leak and ask them to fix it as quickly as they can.

If the leak’s one we need to get fixed, the technician that comes out to look at it will create a plan to get it sorted. Their plan will take into account how big it is and where it is and this will determine how quickly we can get it all done. They’ll also spray the area blue so our specialist repair team know where they need to dig. Don't worry - the paint we use isn't permanent, is environmentally-friendly and will fade over time.

The repair plan is then passed to our specialist planning team. They look at what's involved and arrange for one of our repair teams to come out to fix it. How quickly the repair team can come out depends on the size and location of the leak. For example, if it's on or near a busy road we'll need to ask the local council for a permit before starting work. If it's not an emergency this can take them up to 12 weeks to grant. As much as we hate the water going to waste, it’s important that we can work safely in the road.

If we need to close roads or footpaths, we'll be out as quickly as we can to put up barriers and signs to let people know we're about to start work and when. If the work is happening on a busy road, we may also put out cones or temporary traffic lights or put diversions in place.

Once we've repaired the leak, we'll get everything back to normal as quickly as we can. We try to get everything done in one visit, but depending on the materials we've had to remove or dig through to make the repair, it can take a few days for us to clear the area (e.g. remove barriers, allowing materials to settle).

Fixing a leak at your home

Leaks inside your home are usually your responsibility to fix. The only exception is if you have a water meter inside your home and that’s causing the leak. If you think you have a leak at home – you can find some handy tips on how to check where it is here.

If the leak at your home is somewhere outside, we'll come out to carry out a range of checks to confirm where it is. If we need you to be at home to carry out our checks, we'll make an appointment with you. It's vital for our visit that you not only know where your internal stop tap is, but that you've checked you can turn it easily. If you can't, you'll need to get a plumber to come out to locate or fix it before we're due to visit you.

If we confirm there’s a leak, our checks will help us understand whose responsibility it is to fix. If there's an issue with your meter, or the leak is on the pipework that's our responsibility to repair we'll let you know and explain what’ll happen next.

If a leak is found inside your home or on the pipework that sits within your property boundary then it's the owner’s responsibility to get it fixed. We'll give you all the information you need to get it fixed and we’ll support you while you do – not only will we put your bill on hold, but - if you're on a meter - we'll also grant you a one off leakage allowance once the leak's repaired to cover the cost of the lost water.

If the leak’s ours to fix, our technician will create a repair plan based on where the leak is and how big it is. We’ll then let you know what will happen next and when we’ll be back to start work. If we need to dig in the the pavement or road we’ll spray the area blue to show our repair team where to dig. Don't worry - the paint we use isn't permanent, is environmentally-friendly and will fade over time.

The repair plan is then passed to our specialist planning team. They look at what's involved and arrange for one of our repair teams to come out to fix it. How quickly the repair team can come out depends on the size and location of the leak. For example, if we need to dig on the pavement near a busy road we'll need to ask the local council for a permit before starting work. If it's not an emergency this can take them up to 12 weeks to grant. As much as we hate the water going to waste, it’s important that we can work safely and that pedestrians can get around our work without being in danger.

If we need to close a footpath, we'll be out as quickly as we can to put up barriers and signs to let people know we're about to start work and when.

Once we've repaired the leak, we'll get everything back to normal as quickly as we can. We always try to get everything done in one visit, but depending on the materials we've had to remove or dig through to make the repair, it can take a few days for us to clear the area (e.g. remove barriers, allowing materials to settle).

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How we fix leaks