How to Read Your Brisbane Water Meter (and Spot a Leak)
Your water meter is one of the most powerful diagnostic tools you own — and it's just sitting at the front of your property. Here's how to read it and use it to catch a leak before it hits your bill.
Find Your Meter
In most Brisbane, Logan and Ipswich properties the meter sits in a plastic housing near the front boundary. Lift the lid — the black digits are kilolitres (1kL = 1,000L) and the red digits are litres.
Do a 2-Hour Leak Test
Turn off every tap and appliance in the house. Note the meter reading. Wait 2 hours without using any water. If any digit has moved, you have a leak.
Common Culprits
A running toilet cistern is by far the most common. Next: dripping taps, hot water pressure-relief valves, drip irrigation left on, and slab leaks in older homes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much water does a running toilet waste?
Up to 60,000 litres per year — roughly $200 on a Brisbane bill and easily fixed with a $15 flapper valve.
My meter dial is spinning even with everything off — is that a slab leak?
Possibly. Slab leaks are common in older Brisbane homes on the south side. Call a plumber for pressure testing and thermal or acoustic detection.