Check whether water is escaping
EPA WaterSense recommends comparing water-meter readings two hours apart while no water is being used. Choose a time with no washing, flushing, irrigation or automatic appliance refilling. A higher reading suggests a leak or overlooked water use; it does not locate the fault. In a shared building, check which premises the meter serves.
Measure an accessible leak
- For a dripping tap that is safely accessible, collect the escaping water in a measuring jug. Do not open the tap to speed up the test.
- Record the collected litres and the elapsed seconds. For a very slow drip, allow longer so the volume can be read reliably.
- Repeat the measurement two or three times. If the results differ, investigate the variation instead of treating one short sample as a constant flow.
Worked example: one litre in ten minutes
Suppose you collect 1 litre in 600 seconds. That is 6 litres per hour, or 144 litres per day. If the same leak continues for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it loses 52.56 m³. At an illustrative €4 per m³, the volume costs €210.24 a year. This is a calculation example, not a local tariff or a promise of savings.
Use the right price and duration
Use the volume-based price from your bill, including wastewater charges only where they apply to that volume. Fixed fees are not saved by stopping a leak. The example excludes hot-water heating, repairs and damage. For a holiday home, count the time the leak actually continues, including empty days if the water remains on. An intermittent leak needs a shorter duration.
Record the estimate and check the repair
In Energy Detective, open Audit lab → Water leaks. Enter litres, seconds, hours per day, days per year and your price per m³ in the selected currency. Ten minutes means 600 seconds. The app calculates from your inputs; the phone does not measure the flow itself.
Keep meter readings and photos before and after the repair, with the test times in a note. Repeat the no-use check. A stationary meter during one test does not rule out an intermittent leak. For a hidden leak or persistent unexplained movement, contact a plumber; in rented premises, report it to the manager.
