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Water leaks, maintenance and upgrades

Leaks on private property

Leaks on the property side of the meter or manifold box are the responsibility of the property-owner to fix, while NPDC is responsible for fixing leaks on the road-side of the meter or manifold box.

NPDC will send you a letter if your water meter has had a continuous flow of water for at least 14 days (including overnight, when households usually don’t have water use). You can either check your meter to confirm that there’s a leak or call in a plumber to confirm (at the owner’s cost).

You will also need a plumber to locate and fix the leak. 

Checking for leaks through your water meter

Take a reading of the meter in the evening and another in the morning, ensuring that no water is used overnight. An increase in the reading overnight indicates that water has passed through the meter, and that there is a water leak on your side of the meter. You will need to contact a plumber for advice and repairs.

Your meter might also display a flag icon, which indicates you might have a leak. 

If you are physically unable to check the meter, please contact NPDC for advice.

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You may also have a leak on your property if you notice:

  • An unusual wet patch in the garden that doesn’t dry up when it stops raining.
  • An area that’s mouldy, soft, green or mossy that’s surrounded by dryer soil.
  • Paved areas (such as driveways) cracking, rising up or slumping.
  • Potholes or sinkholes.
  • A noticeable drop in the flow of water out of your taps.
  • An ongoing sound of water going through a pipe even when no taps are running. 
  • A sudden spike in water use through your water meter.

 

Leaks through a shared meter

If your property is on a shared meter, you will need to talk with your neighbours before confirming where the leak is coming from. Together, you can perform an overnight leak; this would require all households connected to the shared meter to avoid water use during the test period.

Alternatively, all owners of the shared-meter properties could agree to bring in a plumber to confirm the location of the leak (at the owner’s cost).

 

What to do if your property doesn’t have a water meter

First, check if your manifold is leaking. If the leak comes from the pipes or fittings inside the manifold box or from the street side of the box, you should contact NPDC to report it for repairs. If the leak is on the pipe on your property side of the manifold box, or there is a leak elsewhere on your property, you will need to contact a plumber for assistance and advice.

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Page last updated: 01:35pm Thu 05 November 2026

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06 759 6060 enquiries@npdc.govt.nz
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