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How we manage leaks in our network

Find out what causes leaks in our network and what we’re doing to prevent and repair them.

What causes leaks in our network?

  • ​Ground movement, especially in extreme weather conditions
  • General wear and tear, particularly in older pipes
  • Vibration damage from heavy traffic
  • ​Damage caused by a third party, for example, during construction

Did you know?

Our network contains 9000km of water pipes and, if laid end-to-end, they’d reach Hong Kong.

Photo showing water gushing out of the ground from a water leak.

What we’re doing to stop leaks

We’re committed to reducing leaks in our network, and we’re achieving this in several different ways.


Proactive leak detection

We use acoustic leak detection technology to find and repair unreported leaks. Leaks have a distinctive sound because they’re constantly running. We can locate them by connecting a specially designed microphone to a meter or pipe connection.

Did you know?

Proactive leak detection has helped us save an estimated 10 million litres of water loss.

A small excavator helps to dig a trench for a new watermain in Kelston

Proactive pipe renewals

Between 2021 and 2041, we’ll spend $4.58 billion to replace watermains and infrastructure. By being proactive rather than reactive, we’ll reduce the leaks.

Photo of Watercare project manager Mark Chijindu with digger in background in Mission Bay residential street

Fast response times  

We aim to respond to all leaks within five days but will fix most within three days of being notified.