First check to see if anything has changed that might increase your household water use. For example, any of the following can generate an increase in your water usage including:
- visitors or guests staying
- increased garden watering
- health issues that increase water use
- autofill on swimming pool or spa
- evaporative cooler or solar water heater installed
If you don't find anything unusual, check the common sources of water leaks including:
- sticking or leaking toilets
- garden taps and hoses
- evaporative cooler
- solar water heater
- faulty automatic top-up for your water tank or pool
- check for puddles or wet areas in lawns or gardens
If you have excluded all these possibilities you might have a leak that you can see and it's time to do a leak test.
To do a leak test locate your water meter, which is normally at the front of the property. Turn off all taps and make sure no one uses any water during the testing time (10 minutes). Write down the number you can see on the water meter. Come back to the water meter in 10 minutes. If you don't have a leak the numbers should not have moved and should be the same!
If you have a leak you will need to call a plumber or your landlord.
