Mains water leak outside the house - advice needed

[Splash]

I am living in a 5-year old house, and I need advice on what to do about an outside water leak. I had an outside tap fitted recently outside my kitchen window and connected to the same pipe that feeds the kitchen tap/washing machine/dishwasher. The plumber told me he could hear water moving in the pipe outside at a high abnormal noise and he thought there was a leak. On listening under the kitchen sink I could hear it too. I may not have noticed the noise previously because I had became accustomed to it, and I'm slightly hard of hearing.

He turned off the water valve and sure enough the noise reduced. Once the valve was opened again the noise returned. He did a water siphon test on the kitchen tap and the water was sucking back up the tap, which he said indicates a leak.

The mains pipe goes along the side of my house. Last year the builders fixed a leak in it near where the unit for a water meter were being installed (our estate has not been charged for domestic water use - yet!). This fix entailed ripping up the pathway along the side of the house, fixing it, and re-laying the path again.

I've approached my council who say that I should get a plumber in. I am a bit cheesed off that the problem could be back again.

My Questions are:
- Can I still pursue the builder to fix this after 5 years?
- I presume I am responsible for chasing it to be fixed as it is potentially inside the boundary of my property although the leak may be nearer the public footpath/road, in which case it is the builder/council?
- Is there any way of detecting where the leak is (i.e. a probe) without having to rip up the concrete pathway at the side of the house / or the decking at the back.
- Would this be covered by Homebond?
- Council have not taken over maintenance of estate from the builder.

I am clueless about plumbing matters, and I'd appreciate some advice before I am fobbed off by builder / a plumber / or other body. Thanks, Splash.

 

[chlipps]

You could try the following group .

They done some work on a site that I worked on and found leaks in underground sprinkler water pipes. Subsequent excavation showed they were 100% accurate. I have no alliance to them and dont know if they are expensive but may be worth call

 

[DavyJones]

My Questions are:
- Can I still pursue the builder to fix this after 5 years?

Very unlikely

- I presume I am responsible for chasing it to be fixed as it is potentially inside the boundary of my property although the leak may be nearer the public footpath/road, in which case it is the builder/council?

If the leak is between your meter and your home, you are responsible. If it is between water main pipe and meter, it's the council.

- Is there any way of detecting where the leak is (i.e. a probe) without having to rip up the concrete pathway at the side of the house / or the decking at the back.

Yes, many ways. Google water leak finders etc.

- Would this be covered by Homebond?

Don't think so, but your home insurance should cover most of it.

- Council have not taken over maintenance of estate from the builder.
.

Either way, they may not be responsible.


A good plumber will tell you exactly how much water you are losing, by turning off stop cock under kitchen sink, hence stopping all water from entering plumbing system in property. A simple read of the meter at the foot path will tell how many litres of water are being lost.

If there is a lot of noise under kitchen sink, I would lay money down that the loss of water is fairly local.