Alert after water leak

By Paul Pickering
WITH Melbourne in the grips of Stage 3 water restrictions, a Knox residence has sprung an 800,000 litre leak.
The residence was attended by Ferntree Gully plumber Peter Wilkinson, who reported that the property-owner only discovered the leak when he heard an echo in the pipes during a quiet night last week.
According to Yarra Valley Water, the wastage figure is the equivalent of one-third of an Olympic swimming pool.
Mr Wilkinson said it was likely that the pipe had been bent during construction and cracked gradually by shifting soil.
The pipe’s proximity to a storm water drain meant that there was no visual evidence of the leak.
Mr Wilkinson believes that the pipe had been leaking at approximately nine litres per minute for up to 10 weeks, accounting for a startling wastage figure.
The plumber felt compelled to contact Ferntree Gully MP Nick Wakeling, encouraging him to warn the community about the importance of checking for concealed leaks.
With the onset of stage three water restrictions, Mr Wakeling is keen to prevent similar incidents in the area.
“If that can happen in one home, my concern was how many other homes can it happen in?”
“It is important that all efforts are made to ensure that our valuable water resource is not needlessly lost through leaking pipes.”
Both plumber and MP were eager to quell any accusations of negligence on the home-owner’s behalf.
According to Mr Wilkinson, it is not uncommon for such leaks to go undetected.
“I would do 30 burst pipes a year, probably six to eight of which are not coming to ground level.”
Tony Kelly, managing director of Yarra Valley Water, said: “The dry conditions we have experienced lately may lead to higher than normal incidents of leaks as the soil dries up and contracts.”
Mr Kelly endorsed Mr Wakeling’s call to action, recommending a simple test to identify possible leaks.
“First, check the reading on your water-meter. After, two hours, record the reading again. If the reading has moved during those two hours you may have a leak.”
Mr Kelly notes that it is important to “make sure no one uses the taps in your house and garden and do not flush the toilet before and during the test.”
While the Knox incident highlights an overlooked aspect of the water-saving message, Yarra Valley Water is optimistic about community awareness levels.
“There has been an increase in reports of leaks from the public, which indicates that the community is more in tune with the importance of saving water,” said Mr Kelly.