Water Leak Detection Melbourne:
Water Bill Climbing?

Call 0413 522 220 · Written report for your plumber

Water bill climbing, damp patches or a meter that keeps running?

Yes, a hidden underground leak in Melbourne can be found without digging, and a written report is supplied for your plumber.

Call 0413 522 220 and talk it through. You get the options and an honest opinion.

Call 0413 522 220

Book Online Now

Illustration of a technician with headphones using a ground microphone to listen for an underground water leak

Leak Detection

Who finds hidden water leaks in Melbourne?

Drain Solutions is a Kew East drainage specialist that finds underground and concealed water leaks across Melbourne using acoustic leak detection combined with pipe locating equipment.

A water bill that jumps for no reason, a patch of garden that is always wet, or water running somewhere when every tap is off: these are the signs of a hidden leak under the ground, under a slab or behind a wall. They rarely fix themselves.

We find the exact position of the leak without excavation or guesswork, mark it, and give you a written report so your regular plumber can carry out a targeted repair. Drain Solutions is the specialist that general plumbers call when their client has a leak that cannot be found by looking. BPC Licence No. 21741. Call 0413 522 220.

Burst pipe? It’s an emergency. Call 0413 522 220

Same-day service for emergency work, with call-outs outside business hours.

Water leak detection kit with headphones, an orange sensor unit and listening rods for finding leaks in Melbourne

Why is my water bill high when my usage has not changed?

A water bill that rises while your usage stays the same usually means water is escaping from a hidden leak somewhere in your pipes, often underground where you cannot see it.

Yarra Valley Water, South East Water and Greater Western Water all bill on actual use. A small crack in a service pipe under the driveway, a failing joint under the garden or a pinhole leak in the supply line can waste thousands of litres a week with no sign at the surface.

A simple test: read your water meter, turn off every tap and water-using appliance, wait 30 minutes and read it again. If the meter has moved, there is an active leak. That is when you call Drain Solutions.

What are the signs of a hidden water leak?

The main signs of a hidden water leak are a rising water bill, ground that stays wet, damp patches on walls or floors, water running when taps are off, and a meter that keeps moving.

A jump in your water bill with no change in usage
Ground that is always wet, soft or boggy in one spot
A damp patch or stain on a wall, ceiling or floor with no obvious cause
The sound of running water in the walls or under the floor when all taps are off
Lower water pressure at taps and fixtures
A water meter that keeps moving when nothing is running
Warm spots on a floor or slab, often a hot water pipe leak beneath
Mould or mildew in an area nowhere near a water source

Water spraying from a burst underground pipe joint

How It Works

How does Drain Solutions find an underground water leak?

Drain Solutions traces the exact route of the water pipe first, then listens along that route with acoustic detection equipment, which pinpoints the leak far more precisely than listening over a wide area.

Most leak detection operators put acoustic equipment on the ground and listen. If the pipe position is uncertain, the search area becomes wide and imprecise. That is why we locate the pipe first.

Step 1: Trace the pipe route

Before listening for the leak, we trace where the pipe actually runs using radio frequency pipe locators and ground penetrating radar (GPR), and confirm its depth and material. This is the same equipment we use for underground utility locating on construction sites, and most leak detection operators do not have it.

Step 2: Listen along the confirmed route

An acoustic leak detector picks up the sound pressurised water makes as it escapes through a crack or failed joint. Searching along a known pipe route lets us pinpoint the leak, in most cases to within a metre or less.

Step 3: Mark, report and hand over

The leak position is marked on the surface. Your written report covers the pipe location, the leak position, depth and any observations about pipe condition or likely cause, so your plumber can dig once, in the right place.

If you are seeing any of these, call 0413 522 220. We can confirm whether a leak is present and locate it precisely.

Does Drain Solutions repair the leak?

No. Drain Solutions finds and marks the leak, and your regular plumber carries out the repair on the confirmed spot using our written report.

Think of it like a GP and a specialist. Your plumber is great at repairs; finding a hidden leak precisely before any ground is broken needs specialist equipment and experience. Without that precision, a repair turns into exploratory digging, which is expensive and disruptive. That is the job we do, and it is why we charge a specialist rate.

What types of water leaks can Drain Solutions find?

Drain Solutions finds leaks in underground water services, pipes under driveways and slabs, pipes inside walls, hot water and hydronic heating pipes, fire services and irrigation mains.

Underground water service leaks, from the street meter to the house
Pipe leaks under gardens, driveways and paving
Concealed leaks in copper, PVC or polyethylene pipes inside walls
Under-slab leaks beneath concrete floors
Hot water pipe leaks, including in-slab hydronic heating
Fire service water main leaks on commercial and institutional sites
Underground irrigation main leaks
Unknown leaks shown only by a high water bill

Our Prices

How much does water leak detection cost in Melbourne?

The cost of water leak detection depends mainly on time on site: the size of the property, how much pipe needs tracing, and whether the pipe route is known. Drain Solutions explains its rates before starting.

Size of the property and length of pipe to trace
Whether the pipe route is known or needs full GPR scanning
Surface type: garden, paving, concrete slab
Number of suspected leak areas
After-hours call-outs

Finding the exact spot first usually saves far more than it costs, because the repair is one small hole instead of exploratory digging.

Why are hidden water leaks so common in Melbourne's inner east?

Many homes in Melbourne's inner east still have water pipes 80 to 100 years old, under mature trees and reactive clay soil, which moves as it wets and dries, which makes corrosion, cracked joints and leaks far more common than in newer suburbs.

Homes built between the 1880s and the 1930s often have original copper or galvanised iron supply pipes. Copper develops pinhole leaks, galvanised iron rusts from the inside, and old soldered joints fail. Lead pipe joints in very old properties fail at the solder. Polyethylene added during renovations can split under ground movement or root pressure. Cast iron water mains also run under many Victorian-era streetscapes. Drain Solutions has worked in this underground environment for over 40 years: we know the typical pipe routes in Federation homes and where the failure points tend to appear.

Areas We Serve

Which Melbourne suburbs does Drain Solutions cover for water leak detection?

Drain Solutions finds water leaks across Melbourne's inner and middle suburbs, including Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell, Balwyn, Glen Iris, Toorak, South Yarra, Richmond, Fitzroy, Carlton, East Melbourne, St Kilda and Brighton.

Kew and Kew East: our home suburb. Federation and Victorian homes with original copper and galvanised iron water pipes. Underground leaks are common in older service connections.
Hawthorn and Camberwell: heritage homes on large blocks with early 1900s pipework, where corroded copper, galvanised iron and failing joints are common and mature tree roots press on buried pipes.
Toorak: older underground water mains beneath large gardens, and under-slab leaks in heritage and renovated properties.
South Yarra: apartments and heritage homes, with under-slab leaks and water main leaks under established gardens.
Richmond: Victorian terraces and commercial properties with older street connections.
Fitzroy and Carlton: terraces and apartments, including shared water services in older blocks.
East Melbourne: commercial and institutional buildings, with fire service and commercial water main leaks.
Balwyn and Glen Iris: family homes with large gardens and long underground service pipes, where underground service pipe leaks are common.
St Kilda and Brighton: coastal homes with corrosion in older copper and iron pipes.

Call 0413 522 220 to confirm we cover your suburb.

Why Choose Us

Why choose Drain Solutions for water leak detection?

Drain Solutions combines pipe locating and acoustic leak detection in one visit, so the leak is found precisely without digging, and you get a written report your plumber can work from.

Specialist, not a generalist. Drainage, underground services and leak detection are what we do.
Pipe route traced with radio frequency locators and GPR before listening for the leak.
No digging to find the leak. Your plumber digs once, in the right place.
Written report: leak location, pipe details, depth and observations.
CCTV drain camera available if the leak may be inside a sewer or drain.
40+ years in Melbourne's inner east.
BPC licensed. BPC Licence No. 21741.
Rates are explained before we start, with prices starting from $360. This work is not quoted up front because the cost depends on how complex the water leak is to locate. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Direct Debit, and Cash on completion.

Suspect a water leak? Call 0413 522 220

If your water bill has jumped, the ground is wet for no reason, or you can hear water running with everything off, call Drain Solutions. We find the leak, mark it and give your plumber a precise location. No guesswork. No unnecessary digging. Based in Kew East, covering Melbourne's inner and middle suburbs. Call 0413 522 220 or email info@drainsolutions.com.au.

CALL 0413 522 220

BOOK ONLINE NOW

Water Leak Detection Melbourne: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check if I have a hidden water leak?

Read your water meter, turn off every tap and water-using appliance, then read the meter again after 30 minutes. If it has moved, there is an active leak somewhere in your pipes. Call Drain Solutions on 0413 522 220 to have it found.

How does acoustic water leak detection work?

Water escaping from a pressurised pipe makes a hissing sound that travels through the pipe and soil. An acoustic detector picks up that sound to find the leak. Drain Solutions traces the pipe route first with locators and GPR, then listens along it for greater accuracy.

Can you find a leak under a concrete driveway or slab without breaking it up?

Yes. Drain Solutions finds the position and depth of leaking pipes under driveways, slabs and footpaths without excavation, and marks the spot on the surface. Your plumber then cuts or drills only at that point instead of removing large areas of concrete. This is one of our most common jobs.

Do you repair the leak after finding it?

No. Drain Solutions finds the leak and gives you a written report with its location, the pipe details and depth. Your regular plumber carries out the repair, so it is quick and targeted rather than exploratory.

How accurate is acoustic leak detection?

In most cases Drain Solutions finds a leak to within a metre or less. Accuracy depends on the pipe material, depth, soil and size of the leak; copper and steel carry sound better than PVC. Tracing the pipe route before listening makes the result more accurate than acoustic detection alone.

My water meter is in the street. Is the leak my responsibility or the water authority's?

The water authority is generally responsible for the main up to and including the meter. If the leak is in the service pipe on your side of the meter, under your garden, driveway or footpath, the repair cost falls to you. Drain Solutions shows exactly where the leak is, so you know whose it is before booking a repair.

Can you find leaks in hot water pipes under a slab?

Yes. Hot water pipe leaks under slabs are common in Melbourne's inner east, especially with in-slab hydronic heating or older copper pipes. Signs include higher hot water bills, warm patches on the floor and damp coming through the slab. Acoustic detection can locate the source without breaking up the slab to search.

How long does water leak detection take?

A standard residential job usually takes one to two hours, including tracing the pipe route and listening along it. Large properties, several suspect areas or an unknown pipe route needing full GPR scanning take longer. We confirm the expected time when you call with details of the property and symptoms.

Why use a specialist instead of a general plumber to find a leak?

A general plumber does repairs. Finding a hidden leak precisely before any digging needs acoustic and pipe locating equipment that most plumbers do not carry. Drain Solutions finds the spot so your plumber's repair is one small, targeted job.

Can you check for a leak in a sewer or drain pipe?

Yes. If the leak may be in a sewer or stormwater pipe rather than a water pipe, Drain Solutions can combine leak detection with a CCTV drain camera inspection in the same visit.

How much does water leak detection cost?

It depends mainly on time on site: the property size, the length of pipe to trace and whether the pipe route is known. Drain Solutions explains its rates before starting.

What Melbourne suburbs do you cover for leak detection?

Kew, Kew East, Hawthorn, Camberwell, Balwyn, Glen Iris, Toorak, South Yarra, Richmond, Fitzroy, Carlton, East Melbourne, St Kilda, Brighton and surrounding inner and middle suburbs. Call 0413 522 220 to confirm coverage.