Council Rep just informed us about water leak on our Premises.

Calibos

Didn't get to talk to him myself but am told that he said our water metre indicates we are using 5000L a day and as we are a small shop with flat above there is no way this can be correct and we must have a leak.

Once told about this, I went outside and removed the lid from the water metre and can indeed see that the last red digit on the right (which measures single litres) is turning over by 1 every 15 seconds or so. A little bit of math where there is 86400 seconds in a day divided by 5000L equals a litre every 17 seconds which tallies with what I saw.

I couldn't close the water mains valve because since the last time I looked the 4 inch pipe shroud its set into in the ground had filled with muck and worms and ceased and rusted the Stopcock. However we knew we weren't using water in the shop and the tenants in the flat above were at work, so there could have been little to no actual water usage at the time I checked the water meter.

So its looking like we are definitely leaking 5000L a day as the Council guy says. The water metre is literally only about a metre outside our boundary so its obvious the leak is our responsibility. I can't be sure because the property is about 100 years old but based on where the meter is located on the footpath outside and the direction the pipe to the Mains Valve comes from, I have a feeling the mains pipe runs from the water meter up a concreted lane at the side of the property and around the back of the property under a concrete floored lean-to shed/extension/storeroom. The Sewer pipes also take this route. There is no evidence of water springs or new property subsidence or sinkholes, so I wonder have we gotten lucky in that respect at least and the mains pipe leak has found its way into the old sewer pipes.

My main question is who to we contact or contract to fix this for us. Is it a plumber? I assume not a regular one if concrete lanes need to be dug up? Or is it Irish Water themselves that fix all mains leaks its just a question of whether the water user or Irish water pay for the work depending on where the leak is??

I'm afraid to ask how much it will cost to dig up, lay new mains and re-concrete over about a 9m length!!

This kind of thing always happens to us. We get great news recently about a several thousand euro cost saving for our business only to discover literally 3 days later that we may be facing an unforeseen cost of several thousand euro. Typical!!! ARRGGHH!!!

mad m

https://www.water.ie/for-home/first-fix/faqs/

Calibos

mad m wrote: »

https://www.water.ie/for-home/first-fix/faqs/

Just found that today. Not sure it applies to is though as were Commercial albeit with Domestic level usage as we're just a newsagent with a flat above.

I posted a copy of my post from here yesterday on the Irish Water forum that I only discovered after the post here. I rang them this morning and was told that given my last bi-annual bill was around February and a new one is due shortly, that I should wait till it comes before doing anything.

Not likely Missus, when I know theres 5000L a day leaking under the property!!

So I PMd Irish water on boards my account details, meter serial number and a current reading and also confirmed that the flowrate is 1L every 15 seconds.

This was her reply:

Hi XXXXX,

Thank you so much for providing all the relevant information - this made my work easier.

I have been in touch with our Non-Domestic department and explained the situation. With the water usage you have provided to us, it appears that there is a leak on the private side of your property.

I recommend that you contact an accredited plumber in order to get this checked and if needed, fixed. If you wish, you can then provide us with a plumbers report and we will be able to look at reducing the bill for you.

In order to do this, the plumbers report needs to be on headed paper with the plumbers VAT or company registration number visible. We also require the exact date that the leak was repaired and the final date of completed works.

After the repairs take place, we need you to take and send us two meter readings, two weeks apart from each other. This will then tell us your actual water usage.

I hope this information helps, and please let me know if you have any other queries.

Kind regards,
Agata

So do I call a regular plumber for an external subsurface leak or a Specialist company with the microphone/seismic leak detection equipment?

mad m

Why not call both and get two quotes.