In the USA it’s the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Fix a Leak Week” and to celebrate Anne Arundel County is giving toilet leak detection kits to residents. Nationwide minor home water leaks result in more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted each year.

But what about back in the UK? UK water companies lose a combined total of 3.3 billion litres every day. In London especially there is still a huge reliance on Victorian infrastructure which is inevitably failing.

Thames Water has by replaced 1,400 miles of worn-out Victorian pipes, mainly under London, reducing leakage from its 20,000 mile network of water pipes to its lowest-ever level, down more than a third since its peak in 2004.

The Consumer Council for Water, a customers’ group, accused Thames Water for continuing to miss their targets for the past five years. According to Consumer Council spokesman Andrew Marsh,:

They

[Thames Water] are making big profits and there’s a credibility gap between making large profits and asking customers to save water. People are paying more for their water bills and have every right to expect what they are paying for, which is a service that includes all the benefits the company has promised to deliver.

But what about water leaks in your home?

One of the first things many people notice that point towards a water leak is an increase in their water bill. A good way to test to see if you have a leak is turn off all water supplies and watch your water meter; if it is still moving it is more than likely you have a water leak. It is also common to have problems with your central heating system losing pressure and needing to be constantly topped up. Many people will also be able to see visible signs such as mould growth and bubbling/blistering of paint.

Many leaks are not visibly noticeable because nowadays most pipe-work is buried in floors and walls and it therefore becomes near impossible to detect the location of the leak. This is where The Leak Detection Company comes in. We will find the location of the leak without the need to take up floors and drill in to walls. The equipment and techniques we use are all non-invasive meaning disruption is minimised. Our sister company PCPS Ltd (www.pcpsltd.co.uk) specialises in water damage and will be help to help and advise you with how to proceed once we have found and repaired your leak. For many people a water leak may not have caused visible damage to their home but it is important to make sure any trapped moisture is fully dried out to prevent problems further on down the line.