An unexpected jump in your Watercare bill is one of the most common signs of a hidden leak. We find it, fix it, and help you get your bill back to normal.
Call Now — We'll Sort It 0800 322 322Before you call a plumber, you can do a simple test yourself. It takes five minutes and tells you whether you have a leak or not:
If the meter is still when everything is off, the problem isn't a supply-side leak. It could be a running toilet, dripping tap, or simply higher usage than you realised.
A toilet with a faulty flush valve or worn cistern seal can run continuously without you hearing it. The water flows silently from the cistern into the bowl and down the drain. A running toilet can waste 200 to 500 litres per day — that adds up fast over a quarter.
A single dripping tap wastes around 20,000 litres per year. Most dripping taps are caused by worn washers, O-rings, or ceramic cartridges. It's a straightforward fix that pays for itself on the next bill.
The most expensive culprit. A crack or break in the supply line running from the toby to the house can leak thousands of litres per day, all of it soaking into the ground where you can't see it. The only way to know is the meter test above.
A slow leak from a hot water cylinder — at the valve, the element gasket, or the body itself — drains continuously to waste via the overflow pipe. You might not notice because the overflow often runs outside the house to a drain.
Braided stainless steel flexi hoses under sinks and behind washing machines have a lifespan of about 10 years. When they fail, they can leak slowly or burst catastrophically. A slow leak can drip for weeks before it's noticed.
When you call us about a high water bill, we follow a structured process to find the source:
Watercare bills Auckland properties for both water supply and wastewater. As of 2024-25, the combined rate is around $4.60 per 1,000 litres (1 cubic metre). That means:
These costs stack up fast — and the leak doesn't stop because you haven't found it yet. The sooner you get it sorted, the less it costs you.
Here's a rough guide to what different types of leaks cost in wasted water:
Watercare may offer a leak allowance — a partial credit on your bill — if the leak was hidden and you can provide proof it's been repaired by a licensed plumber. We provide the documentation you need to apply.
The most common cause is a hidden leak — either an underground supply line leak, a running toilet, or a slow leak you haven't noticed. Do the meter test first. If the meter is running when everything is off, call us.
Watercare offers a leak allowance for hidden leaks that have been repaired. You need to provide proof the leak existed and has been fixed by a licensed plumber. We give you the paperwork — a repair report with before-and-after details — that you submit with your application.
Put a few drops of food colouring in the cistern and wait 15 minutes without flushing. If the colour appears in the bowl, the flush valve is leaking. You might also hear a faint hissing or notice the cistern refilling on its own.
Watercare is responsible for the pipe up to and including your toby (water meter) at the boundary. Everything from the toby to your house — and everything inside the house — is your responsibility.
High water bill investigations are usually booked same-day or next-day. If the meter test shows a major leak, we treat it more urgently. Call us on 0800 322 322 and we'll get you sorted.
Need a Plumber? Call 0800 322 322 — we'll sort it.
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