Hidden threat leads to shocking $9000 bill for Australian homeowner – realestate.com.au

An unsuspecting homeowner has been hit with a staggering $9,000 bill as a hidden threat on their property quietly spiraled out of control – putting thousands more Australians at risk.

Unitywater said the residential unit owner had a hidden water leak under the concrete driveway, with no visible signs above ground that anything was wrong.

By the time it was discovered, plumbing repairs had cost $1,300 and the water and wastewater bill had increased from an average of $250 to almost $9,000 for the quarter.

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Below this ground at a Mooloolaba unit complex, a hidden leak cost thousands of euros. Source: UnityWater

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More than 4,500 households have been warned by the utility over the past year due to unusually high water use – spikes are said to be a warning sign of hidden leaks in private properties that are “the property owner’s responsibility to investigate and repair”.

In one of UnityWater’s most extreme cases, a Queensland corporate entity was hit with a $20,000 water bill after a hidden underground leak outside a property affected 98 low-metered units. Repairs cost $2,800, while the quarterly bill rose from about $300 to $20,000.

Another Mooloolaba homeowner narrowly avoided a financial blow after a pipe burst under a garden bed connected to a backyard spa.

Because the spa was set to auto-refill, the water flowed uncontrollably underground, quickly causing usage to skyrocket. If the leak had gone unnoticed, the quarterly bill could have been more than $4,000.

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Unitywater contractors are installing a digital meter in a residential home on the Sunshine Coast. Source: UnityWater

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Meanwhile, a Maroochydore resident who went on holiday without realizing the downstairs toilet was constantly flushing was in for a nasty shock when he returned.

A digital water meter detected the constant consumption, allowing Unitywater to alert the homeowner in time and prevent more than $1,600 – or about $54 per day – from being credited to the next bill.

Katherine Gee, executive manager of customer experience at Unitywater, said hidden leaks are often invisible, silent and extremely costly.

“Leaks under driveways, in walls or underground can cause property damage and waste thousands of gallons of water per day, which ultimately ends up on your water bill,” she said.

Ms Gee urged homeowners to look out for warning signs such as damp or discolored walls or ceilings, sagging garden patches, unusually green or fast-growing areas of the lawn, or the pool level dropping faster than expected.

Resident records numbers on the water meter to check for hidden leaks. Source: UnityWater

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She said a simple check – turning off all taps and appliances (ensuring no appliances are damaged), recording the water meter numbers, avoiding water use for an hour and then checking the meter again – could quickly reveal whether water is leaking somewhere unseen.

Any unexpected change in meter readings should result in an immediate call to a licensed plumber, the utility said.

Customers repairing a hidden leak may also be eligible for a one-time hidden leak reimbursement to offset some of the excess water costs.

“If you have boggy ground around your meter and your meter is not ticking, the leak is likely on our infrastructure,” Unitywater said. “If you have boggy ground around your meter and your meter is ticking over, water is being sucked through the meter and the leak is on your side of the meter.”

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Checking for sneaky leaks at home:

1. Turn off all taps and appliances that use water.

2. Write down your water meter numbers (take a photo or write it down).

3. Do not use water (not even a toilet flush) for an hour.

4. Check the gauge – if the numbers have changed, there may be a leak.

5. Call a licensed plumber to investigate.

(Source: UnityWater)

Pro tips for common problem areas:

Toilet

Toilet cistern leaks are common and can be easily checked by following these steps:

– Pour a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank (just enough to slightly color the water).

– Do not flush – wait. If color appears in the toilet bowl, there is a leak.

– Rinse once the test is completed to remove the food coloring. It does not stain ceramic toilet bowls.

– Pro tip: Don’t have any food coloring? Try placing a sheet of dry toilet paper at the back of the toilet bowl, above the water line. It should remain dry unless water drips down the back of the bowl, which indicates a leaky toilet.

Swimming pool

– Swimming pools use a lot of water, so even a small leak is worth paying attention to. Before using the pool this spring, grab a bucket and check it for leaks.

– Fill a bucket with pool water and place it on a step in your pool (so that the water in the bucket and the pool are level).

– Mark the water level on the bucket and pool.

– Wait 24 hours without using the pool.

– Come back and check the levels. If the pool water has dropped more than the bucket water, you may have a leak. If they drop the same amount, it’s just evaporation.

– Pro Tip: For a more accurate result, perform this test with the pool pump turned off.

Garden

– When you reach for the faucet or hose, check to see if the faucet or fittings are dripping. If they leak, tighten them or replace the fittings. A slow drip can waste thousands of gallons over time, and you may notice it on your next bill.

– You can also check any irrigation, making sure all nozzles and jets are turned on and there are no leaks in the system.

– Check that the water tanks are not automatically refilled with city water, check for defective solenoids/internal parts if connected to city water.

– Pro tip: To save more water (and money), invest in a trigger nozzle for your hose. They use less water and often do the same work.

(Source: UnityWater)

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