Water Meter Keeps Running? An Adelaide Plumber’s Checklist

You have just opened your SA Water bill and nearly choked on your coffee. $400 when it is usually $150. Or maybe you walked past your water meter and noticed the dial spinning even though nobody is in the shower and the dishwasher is not running.

If your water meter will not stop running means water is escaping somewhere in your property. It might be a toilet that is silently leaking into the bowl. It could be a dripping tap you have been ignoring. Or it might be something you cannot see at all, like a cracked pipe under your driveway.

Before you call a plumber in Adealde, there are some simple checks you can do yourself. This checklist walks you through exactly what to look for, step by step. You might find the problem in five minutes and save yourself a callout fee. Or you will know for certain that you need professional help and can explain exactly what you have already checked.

First Things First: How to Read Your SA Water Meter

Your water meter is usually located near your front boundary, often in a small concrete or plastic pit with a lid. In some older Adelaide suburbs like Prospect, Norwood or Unley, the meter might be in the footpath.

Lift the lid, and you will see either a digital display or an analogue meter with dials. The important part is the flow indicator. On analogue meters, this is a small triangle or star-shaped dial that spins when water is flowing. On digital meters, there is usually a flow symbol or a spinning wheel icon.

Here is the test. Turn off every tap in your house. Make sure the dishwasher, washing machine and any irrigation systems are off. Do not forget the garden tap. Now watch your meter for a full two minutes.

If that flow indicator is still moving, water is escaping somewhere on your property. Even a very slow spin means water is leaking. A fast spin means you have a serious leak that is costing you money right now.

The Adelaide Plumber’s Leak Checklist: 8 Places to Check

Work through this list in order. Start with the easiest checks and work towards the harder ones. Grab a torch and a notepad to write down anything you find.

Check 1: Your Toilets (The Most Common Culprit)

Toilets are responsible for more hidden water waste than any other fixture. A faulty flapper valve or fill valve can leak litres of water per hour without making any noise you would notice.

Here is how to check

Remove the lid from your toilet cistern and look inside. Is water trickling into the overflow tube? That tube is the vertical pipe in the middle of the cistern. Water should never be flowing into it during normal operation. If it is, your fill valve is faulty and needs replacing.

Next, check for a leaking flapper. Put a few drops of food colouring in the cistern and wait 15 minutes without flushing. If coloured water appears in the toilet bowl, your flapper is not sealing properly. This is a common plumbing problem in Adelaide because our hard water causes mineral buildup on the rubber seal.

Do this test on every toilet in your house. A single leaking toilet can waste 20,000 litres per quarter and add $50 or more to your bill.

Check 2: Every Tap Inside and Outside

Walk through your entire property and check every single tap. Turn each one off firmly, but do not overtighten. Look underneath for drips. Check the spout. Even a slow drip of one drop per second adds up to about 20 litres per day or 7,300 litres per year.

Do not forget the taps people often miss. The garden tapestry is at the back of the house. The tap in the laundry behind the washing machine. The tap under the kitchen sink that feeds the dishwasher. If you have a second bathroom that rarely gets used, check those taps too.

In older Adelaide homes, outdoor taps are common leak points. The tap might look fine from the front, but the pipe connection behind the wall could be dripping inside the wall cavity.

Check 3: Your Hot Water System

Go to your hot water unit and look at the ground around it. Is it wet? Is there a trail of water leading to a drain? Some moisture is normal from the pressure relief valve, especially on hot days. But constant dripping or pooling water means something is wrong.

Check the pressure relief valve. This is the small valve on the side of the tank with a pipe leading down to the ground or a drain. If water is constantly dribbling from this pipe, the valve may be faulty, or your water pressure may be too high.

Look at the connections going into and out of the tank. Are there any drips or mineral deposits that suggest past leaking? Old hot water systems in Adelaide homes often develop leaks at the inlet and outlet fittings before the tank itself fails.

Found a Leak? Or Still Cannot Find It?

If you have found the problem, we can fix it quickly with same-day service. If your meter is still running and you cannot find the source, we use thermal imaging and acoustic detection to locate hidden leaks without damaging your property.

Wills Plumbing Adelaide provides fast leak detection and repair across all metro suburbs. We will find the leak, explain exactly what is wrong and give you an upfront price to fix it. Call 0484 600 095 for same-day service. The sooner you find the leak, the sooner you stop paying for water you are not using.

Check 4: Under Every Sink and Basin

Open the cupboard under your kitchen sink, bathroom basins and laundry tub. Shine a torch around and feel the pipes and connections with your hand. Are they wet? Is there moisture on the base of the cupboard? Can you see water stains or mould?

Pay special attention to the flexible hose connections. These are the braided steel hoses that connect your taps to the water supply. They have a limited lifespan and can fail without warning, especially the cheaper ones. Look for any bulging, rust spots or moisture around the connections.

Also, check the stop valves under each sink. These small taps let you isolate the water supply to that fixture. In older Adelaide homes, these valves often drip slightly because the packing has worn out.

Check 5: Your Irrigation System

If you have a garden irrigation system, this is a common source of hidden leaks. Walk along your irrigation lines and look for unusually wet patches, soggy lawn areas or places where grass is much greener than the surrounding area.

Check the solenoid valves. These are usually in a valve box buried in the ground. Lift the lid and see if there is standing water inside. Some moisture is normal after rain, but constant water suggests a leaking valve.

Also, check where the irrigation connects to your main water. This is often at a tap near the house. Look for drips at the connection point. A common problem is irrigation systems that were never fully turned off and have been slowly leaking for months.

Check 6: Your Evaporative Air Conditioner

Many Adelaide homes have evaporative cooling systems on the roof. These units use water and can develop leaks in the float valve, the pump or the water lines. If your meter is running and you have checked everything else, your evap unit might be the culprit.

You cannot easily check the unit on the roof yourself, but you can check the water supply line. Follow the copper or plastic pipe from your roof to where it connects inside or outside the house. Look for any drips along this line.

If you suspect your evaporative cooler, turn off its water supply at the isolation valve. Then check your meter again. If the meter stops, you have found your problem.

Check 7: Look for Wet Patches in Your Yard

Walk around your entire property and look for areas that are wetter than they should be. Has it been dry for a week, but there is a soggy patch near the fence? Is there an area of lawn that never seems to dry out? These can indicate underground pipe leaks.

In Adelaide, the water main from the meter to your house often runs under the front yard or driveway. If this pipe develops a crack, water escapes underground. You might notice the driveway is always damp on one side, or there is a wet spot in the garden bed near the path.

Properties in the Adelaide Hills and foothills areas are especially prone to underground leaks because ground movement from the reactive clay soils can crack buried pipes.

Check 8: Inside Walls and Under Floors

This is the hardest type of leak to find yourself. If you have checked everything else and your meter is still running, the leak may be inside a wall or under your floor slab.

Look for these warning signs. Unexplained damp patches on walls. Paint bubbling or wallpaper peeling. A musty smell in certain rooms. Warm spots on concrete floors that should be cold. Sounds of running water when everything is turned off.

If you suspect a hidden leak inside the walls or under the slab, this is when you need professional help. Plumbers use thermal imaging cameras and acoustic listening equipment to pinpoint exactly where the leak is without cutting holes everywhere.

What the Spin Speed of Your Meter Tells You

The speed of your meter’s flow indicator gives you a clue about how serious the leak is.

• Very slow movement, barely noticeable – This is usually a toilet flapper leak or a slowly dripping tap. Annoying and wasteful, but not urgent. You are probably losing 5 to 20 litres per hour.
• Steady slow spin – A more significant leak, possibly a running toilet, a leaking hot water system or a dripping pipe. You could be losing 20 to 100 litres per hour. Worth fixing this week.
• Fast spin – A serious leak that is costing you real money. This could be a burst pipe, a major irrigation leak or a failed fixture. You might be losing hundreds of litres per hour. Get this fixed today if possible.
• Spinning like crazy – You have a burst pipe or major break somewhere. Turn off your water at the meter immediately and call a plumber. This is an emergency.

Can You Get a Refund on High Water Bills from Leaks?

SA Water does offer a leak allowance in certain circumstances. If you have had an unexpectedly high water bill due to a concealed leak that you could not reasonably have known about, you may be eligible for a partial adjustment.

A dripping tap you ignored for six months does not qualify. But a burst pipe under your slab that you only discovered when the bill arrived might. You will need to show proof that the leak has been repaired, usually in the form of a receipt or invoice from a licensed plumber.

Contact SA Water directly to discuss your situation. Have your account number ready and be prepared to explain what happened and when. They deal with these situations regularly, and the process is fairly straightforward.

Frequently Asked Questions

My meter is running, but I cannot find any leaks. What now?

If you have worked through the entire checklist and cannot find the source, the leak is probably hidden inside a wall, under your floor slab or in a buried pipe. This is when you need a plumber with leak detection equipment. We use thermal cameras and acoustic sensors to locate hidden leaks without digging or randomly cutting holes.

How much does a running water meter actually cost me?

SA Water charges around $2.70 per 1,000 litres. A toilet leaking 20 litres per hour wastes 175,000 litres per year, costing you roughly $475 extra. A more serious leak wasting 100 litres per hour costs over $2,300 per year. Finding and fixing leaks quickly really does save money.

Could the leak be before my meter?

If the leak is in the pipe between the water main and your meter, you are not paying for that water because it is not being measured. That section is SA Water’s responsibility. If you notice water bubbling up near the footpath or a constantly wet patch near your meter, report it to SA Water.

How do I turn off my water at the meter?

Most Adelaide meters have a small tap or valve near the meter. Turn it clockwise to shut off the water supply to your entire property. If you have an older meter, you might need a meter key or an adjustable wrench. If you cannot find or operate the shutoff, call a plumber. In an emergency, SA Water can also turn off your supply.

My bill is high, but my meter does not seem to be running. What gives?

You might have an intermittent leak that only occurs under certain conditions. For example, a toilet that only leaks for a few hours after flushing, or a hot water pressure relief valve that only releases when the tank is heating. Try checking your meter at different times of day and immediately after using water.

How much does professional leak detection cost in Adelaide?

Most leak detection jobs cost between $150 and $350, depending on the complexity and equipment needed. This is a worthwhile investment when you consider that finding a hidden leak yourself could mean cutting multiple holes in walls and still missing it. We find the leak accurately the first time and provide an upfront quote for the repair.

Is a running meter always a leak?

Almost always, yes. The only exception is if something is actually using water that you have forgotten about. Maybe the irrigation timer is set wrong and running when you thought it was off. Maybe someone left a tap slightly on. But if you have genuinely turned everything off and the meter is still moving, you leak.