Every quarter, thousands of Gold Coast households open a water bill that simply doesn't add up. Usage has doubled, nobody has changed their habits, and there's no visible water anywhere on the property. In our experience running leak detection callouts from Coolangatta to Ormeau, an unexplained spike in water usage is the single most reliable early warning sign of a hidden leak — and the sooner it's investigated, the cheaper it is to fix.
First, Confirm It's Actually A Leak
Before assuming the worst, run the simple water meter test. Turn off every tap and water-using appliance in the house, then take a photo of your water meter. Wait 30 to 60 minutes without using any water, and check the meter again. If the numbers have moved — even slightly — water is escaping somewhere between your meter and your fixtures. On the Gold Coast, your meter is usually at the front boundary of the property in a plastic or concrete pit.
The 7 Most Common Causes Of A High Water Bill
1. A leaking toilet cistern
A silently running toilet can waste over 200 litres a day. Put a few drops of food colouring in the cistern and wait 15 minutes without flushing — if colour appears in the bowl, the inlet or outlet valve is leaking.
2. A slab leak on the hot water line
Homes built from the 1990s onward often have copper or plastic pipework running through or under the concrete slab. A pinhole in a hot line under tiles is invisible from above, but you may notice a warm patch on the floor, a hot water system that runs constantly, or a gas bill creeping up alongside the water bill.
3. An underground main between the meter and the house
The buried supply line from your water meter to the house is under constant mains pressure. Soft, boggy or unusually green patches of lawn, or water pooling on the driveway on a dry day, are classic signs.
4. Irrigation and garden systems
Split drip lines, cracked solenoid valves and buried risers leak slowly and constantly. Because irrigation pipework is shallow and spread across the whole yard, these leaks often go unnoticed for months.
5. A leaking pool or spa
If you're topping up the pool more than once a week outside of summer, suspect a leak in the shell, skimmer box or underground filtration lines. A simple bucket test can confirm whether the pool is losing more than evaporation.
6. Dripping taps and relief valves
A hot water system's temperature-pressure relief (TPR) valve that constantly dribbles can waste hundreds of litres a week. Check the copper drain line beside your hot water unit.
7. Concealed wall and ceiling leaks
Damp patches, bubbling paint, swollen skirting boards or a musty smell inside cupboards point to concealed pipework leaking behind plasterboard.
What To Do Next
If the meter test confirms a leak but you can't see one, don't start digging or cutting holes on a hunch. Professional leak detection uses acoustic listening equipment, thermal imaging and tracer gas to pinpoint the leak to within centimetres — which means one small access point instead of a torn-up yard or bathroom. Creative Coast Plumbing & Gas locates, repairs and reinstates in a single visit across the Gold Coast, and every job includes a written report you can submit with a leak allowance application to your water retailer.
Suspect your bill is hiding a leak? Call Nic on 0485 090 185 for same-day leak detection anywhere on the Gold Coast.
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