Wet patch in the yard, or a strip of greener grass?
If one part of the lawn stays soggy after a dry week, or a strip of grass is always greener than the rest, there's a good chance water is coming from underneath. It could be a leaking water pipe, a cracked sewer or stormwater pipe, or something as simple as a broken sprinkler. Underground leaks waste water, push up your bill and can undermine paths and slabs, so they're worth finding early. Here's how to narrow it down, and how we find and fix it.
What's usually causing it
Leaking water pipe
The water service from the meter to the house runs underground. A crack or failed joint leaks clean water around the clock, keeping the ground wet and the grass green.
Cracked sewer pipe
A broken sewer line leaks wastewater, which acts like fertiliser. A lush, fast-growing patch, sometimes with a smell, often points here.
Stormwater pipe or pit
A cracked or blocked stormwater line lets rain soak into one spot. This patch is usually worst after rain and dries out in between.
Irrigation or garden tap
A split sprinkler line or leaking buried garden tap is the easy one to check first.
Simple checks you can do
- Meter test: turn off every tap and water-using appliance, note the meter reading, wait an hour without using water and check again. If it's moved, you have a leak on the water side. See our hidden water leak guide.
- Dry weather: if the patch stays wet with no rain and no watering, it's being fed by a pipe.
- Smell: a sewer smell near the patch points to a cracked sewer line.
- Location: compare the patch with where your water meter, sewer and downpipes run.
How we find and fix it
We start with the simple tests, then use the right tool for the pipe involved. Water lines are pressure tested and traced with listening and locating equipment. Sewer and stormwater lines get a camera inspection so we can see the crack, root intrusion or broken joint and exactly where it is. Then you get clear options and a fixed price before any work starts, whether that's a short section of new pipe, a pipe relining repair with less digging, or a new water service.
Leaks in southern Eastern Suburbs yards
Much of Matraville, Botany, Pagewood and Eastgardens sits on sandy soil. Water drains through sand quickly, so an underground leak can run for a long time before it shows at the surface, and when it does, it can wash sand out from under paths and paving. Older homes often still have galvanised water services and clay sewer pipes, both of which crack and leak with age, and tree roots find their way into the joints.
Why locals call us
- Local to Matraville and the southern Eastern Suburbs
- Free on-site quotes, with a fixed price before any work starts
- Lifetime labour warranty on our workmanship
- 100+ five-star Google reviews
- Licensed plumbers and gasfitters (Lic. 398171C)
Common questions
Why is one patch of my grass greener than the rest?
Usually because it's getting extra water or nutrients from below, often a leaking water pipe or a cracked sewer pipe.
How do I know if it's a water leak or a sewer leak?
Do the meter test. If the meter moves with everything off, it's likely a water leak. A smell or very lush growth points more to the sewer. A camera inspection confirms it.
Who pays to fix a leak in my yard?
Pipes on your side of the meter and your private sewer line are the owner's responsibility. If the leak is at Sydney Water's meter or main, we'll tell you so you can report it.
Will you have to dig up my whole yard?
No. We locate the leak first so any digging is kept to the spot that needs it, and some sewer and stormwater repairs can be done by relining with no trench.
Related help: leak detection, hidden water leak guide, I can hear water running, CCTV drain inspection and pipe relining. Local pages: Matraville, Botany, Pagewood and Eastgardens.