Water meter leak test do you have a hidden water leak?
A leak is often hidden in a wall, floor or toilet. With your water meter you can discover within an hour whether water is leaking somewhere, and with the calculator below you can see immediately what that costs per year.
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Leave your name and number and we'll call you. Prefer immediate contact? Call 070 783 0224 or message us.
The leak test in 3 steps
Do the test at a time when no one is using water, for example in the evening or before you leave.
Turn everything off
Turn off all taps and make sure the dishwasher, washing machine, outside tap and any water softener are not running. Wait until the toilet has completely filled.
Note the meter reading
Write down all the digits, including the red ones (those are the litres). On many meters a small star or wheel also turns when water is used: the leak indicator.
Wait and check again
Wait at least an hour, preferably longer, without using water. If the reading has changed or the star is turning, water is leaking somewhere.
Calculate what a leak costs
Enter the two meter readings (in m³, with all digits after the decimal point) and how long you waited. Everything in the house must be turned off.
Standard price: € 2.06 per m³ = drinking water € 1.58 plus tap water tax € 0.476, both including VAT (Dunea, 2026). If you have a different water company, adjust the price accordingly.
Is the meter running? Check here first
The toilet. A running toilet is a common cause of water loss. Put a few drops of food colouring in the cistern and don't flush. If there's colour in the bowl after fifteen minutes, the float valve or flush valve is leaking.
Taps and water heaters. A dripping tap or an overflow valve on a water heater that keeps running is often only noticed when you pay attention to it.
Outside the property. Turn off the stopcock behind the meter. If the meter keeps running, the leak is before your stopcock. The connection up to and including the water meter belongs to the water company; report it there. If the meter stops, the leak is in your own pipes.
Nothing found and the meter is still running? Then the leak is probably hidden in a wall or floor. With leak detection we trace it without unnecessary breaking.
Good to know
Short answers to questions we're often asked.
At least one hour. The longer you wait without using water, the smaller the leak you can still detect. Overnight is ideal.
Yes. Then compare only the two meter readings, with all digits after the decimal point. With a digital meter, check whether consumption increases while everything is turned off.
The connection up to and including the water meter is the responsibility of the water company. If the meter keeps running while your main tap after the meter is closed, contact your water company.
That depends on the situation. You'll receive a fixed price agreement in advance. Call 070 783 0224 for a quick estimate.
Useful to know
More about leaks and leak detection.
Hidden leak? We'll track it down.
Without unnecessary breaking and demolition work, with a fixed price agreement in advance. Available 24/7 for emergencies.