When should you report a fault?

We look after the public water and wastewater network in Auckland, so you should report a fault to us if there’s:

• a leak or a burst pipe on the street, sidewalk or other public land

• a wastewater overflow on your property or public land

• a problem with a manhole, such as a broken or missing cover

• a bad smell from pipes or drains on your property or public land

• a bad odour around a wastewater treatment plant

• a bad taste or smell to your water

• no running water in your house (remember to check our current outages first).

We’ll check it out if the cause of your problem is in the public water or wastewater (sewage) network. If the problem is in your private drainage system, you’ll need to call a plumber or drainlayer for advice. 

After hours faults

Our digital agent is available from 6.30am to 10.30pm, Monday to Friday, and 7am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday. If you need help outside of these hours, call (09) 442 2222 and press 1.

When to call a plumber/drainlayer 

You should call a plumber or drainlayer if:

• there's a leak or burst pipe on your property before your meter

• wastewater has overflowed from your septic tank

• a tap is leaking or won’t turn on or off

• groundwater won’t drain off your property.

Is your water making you sick?

If you think your water is making you ill for any reason, please see your doctor as soon as you can.

Other water and wastewater issues

My water is discoloured

Does your water look rusty, cloudy, white, or have a blue or green tinge? The cause may be in the public water pipes or your private plumbing.

In our pipes: the most common cause of colour in water is naturally occurring minerals.

In your pipes: your private water pipes can corrode and colour the water. Iron produces a brownish colour, and copper produces a faint blue colour.

Learn about metals in your water.

If you have discoloured water, turn on (flush) your outside tap for about 10-15 minutes to clear your private water pipes. Use the hose tap closest to the water meter. Don't use any water in the house while you do this. The average cost for a residential property running water for 15 minutes is approximately $1.91.

If the problem remains, please report your fault to us. 

My water pressure is too low/high 

We normally provide residential properties with water pressure of at least 200kPa and a flow rate of at least 25 litres per minute.

Learn more about pressure and flow rate.

If your water pressure is too low or high, first find your water meter.

For low water pressure:

• Check the water meter tap is fully open by turning it anti-clockwise.

• Check there are no faults or outages in your area.

If you still have low water pressure and there are no outages:

• Contact a plumber if the low pressure is only in one tap, and it only affects hot water.

• Contact us if all your taps have low pressure, your cold water has low pressure, or your cold and hot water both have low pressure.

For high water pressure:

• Turn your water meter tap down (clockwise) gently.

• Talk to a plumber about installing a pressure-reducing valve (PRV) on your private pipework.

My meter is leaking

If the leak is between your home and the meter, you’ll need to call a plumber. If the leak is in the meter or beyond the meter, please contact us.

Leaks inside your house or within your grounds are normally due to a fault within your own supply pipe. This is your responsibility to fix. A leak can cause high water bills if you don’t fix it.