Your Water Bill Has Doubled — Here's Why It Might Be a Hidden Leak

A water bill that's suddenly much higher than normal is one of the most reliable early warning signs of a concealed leak. We see this regularly across Brisbane Northside — homeowners who've had no visible signs of a problem until the quarterly bill arrives.

How Much Water a Small Leak Actually Wastes

It's easy to underestimate how much a dripping or running leak wastes. Some figures:

• •A dripping tap: up to 20,000 litres per year
• •A slowly running toilet cistern: up to 100,000 litres per year
• •A pinhole leak in a slab: can waste over 200 litres per day

At Brisbane water rates, a slab leak that goes undetected for a quarter can add $300–$500+ to your bill. And that's before any structural damage.

The Quick Test: Your Water Meter

Here's a simple check you can do right now:

1. •Turn off all taps, appliances, and irrigation
2. •Find your water meter (usually near the street boundary)
3. •Look at the small dial or digital display — if it's moving, water is flowing somewhere it shouldn't be

If the meter is moving with everything turned off, you have a leak.

Common Sources of Hidden Leaks

Toilet cisterns are the most common culprit. A toilet that's slowly leaking from the cistern into the bowl makes no sound and leaves no puddle — the only sign is a higher bill or a faint water stain under the rim. Put a few drops of food dye in the cistern; if colour appears in the bowl within 15 minutes without flushing, it's leaking.

Slab leaks happen when a pipe running under or through the concrete slab of your home develops a leak. Brisbane's clay soils shift seasonally, which puts stress on pipes — especially older copper ones. Signs include warm or damp patches on tiled floors, cracks in tiles, or unexplained damp along walls.

Irrigation systems are often overlooked. A cracked irrigation pipe underground can run continuously without ever surfacing. Your meter will show consumption even at night when no one is using water.

Leaking garden taps and hose connections are easy to miss, especially around the side of the house.

What Leak Detection Actually Involves

Modern leak detection doesn't require breaking up your floor to find the problem. We use:

• •Acoustic listening devices — amplify the sound of water movement through pipes, allowing us to locate leaks precisely
• •Thermal imaging cameras — detect temperature differentials caused by water escaping from a pipe
• •Tracer gas — for difficult-to-locate underground leaks

In most cases we can locate a leak and repair it in a single visit with minimal access needed.

Don't Ignore a High Bill

The temptation is to wait until next quarter to see if the bill comes down. Don't. A leak that's already costing you money in wasted water is also potentially damaging your foundations, encouraging mould, or quietly undermining a slab.

If you've noticed your bill spike and want to rule out a hidden leak, call Khaki Plumbing on 1300 158 895. We service all of Brisbane Northside.