Do I Have A Leak?

Who’s responsible?

As a South West Water customer, you are responsible for any water leak, underground leak or burst pipe on your water supply from the boundary of your property to the property itself (see diagram below). If you are on a shared supply, all homeowners are responsible jointly from the boundary with public land for any common supply pipe, and individually for a branch pipe bringing the water in to your home.

Possible indicators of a leak

High water bill, higher than usual, for no apparent reason
A damp patch in the garden, on the driveway or anywhere on your land during dry weather
The sound of running water when no water is being used
An area of lawn which is always green, even when the rest is not

How can I check if I have a leak?

Shut off everything in the house that will be using water, especially taps, but also washing machines, dishwashers etc. Make sure that nothing in the house is on that will require water to function.

If you have one, turn off the rising main, which is usually the internal stop tap located under the kitchen sink or in the downstairs toilet/bathroom, making sure that you have turned it off completely and no water is still coming through to the taps.

Check that the cold water cistern is not filling.

Go to the meter, lift the lid and check to see if the numbered dials are turning. If they are, then you have a leak on your external water supply between the meter and the internal stop tap. If the leak is very small it may not be immediately noticeable if there is movement on the dials, so wait for a few minutes to check.

If you cannot turn off the internal stop tap then turn off all appliances, make sure that no water is going into cisterns or storage tanks and take a meter reading. Wait for about an hour and then take another. If the meter has moved it may mean you have a leak on your external water supply.

If I have a leak

Call R&D Water Engineers. We will do our best to sort your water leak or burst pipe with the minimum of fuss.

Inform South West Water

South West Water’s website has the facility to report a leak, or you can call their customer leakage team. Report a problem | South West Water

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Health and Safety accredited for another year

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Would you please pass on my thanks to everyone involved with carrying out the repairs to the water supply at the property. The customer service and care received from the first telephone call to completion of the works by your excellent onsite engineers, was excellent. What a comfort it was to engage with people who made no fuss, understood what was needed and carried out the works accordingly.

Many thanks to you and your staff for a good job done, yesterday in rather inclement weather. They were very efficient and did a great job of making good and cleaning up afterwards. I will make sure that Willingcott Valley Golf Club are aware of you as there is likely to be more of the same in the future!

My supply pipe leak in front garden was discovered around 5:00pm on a Friday. South West Water gave me a list of recognised repairers.
Messages left with three.

Response from yourselves within the hour, promise made that team would call in to us in Tiverton early Monday on way to another job.
Arrived, very polite couple of lads, found and temporarily repaired leak within 45 minutes.
Pipe replacement booked for later date.
And again what a job they did. They removed a small section of our recently completed brick drive to gain access as close to meter as possible, excavated again in lawn and from there moled new pipe into property.
Yes they did reinstate everything so much so that you could not tell they had been.

Please give these guys a thank you from us.

Hopefully we won't need your services soon but we will be sure to sing your praises.

I would wish to thank you for your very prompt attendance at the leak and it was a job well done. Thank you very much. If I am able to recommend you to anyone else I will

R&D Water Engineers recently renewed the water pipes to my property and I am pleased to recommend this company unreservedly. The work was carried out in an efficient and most satisfactory manner. In addition the employees were friendly, courteous and always kept us informed of any development.

This is a company I would highly recommend and have no hesitation in using again.