Cookie consent

We use cookies to track how you use our website to help improve your experience and show you personalised content. You can accept the use of all cookies or manage them individually. You can find out more about your options by clicking “manage cookies".

Strictly necessary/functionality cookies

Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.

Find out more about our cookies
United Utilities Leak investigators

Leaks? We're on it!

Detecting and repairing leaks is a top priority, and with leakage at its lowest ever level we’re on track to reduce them by a further 15% by 2025 and we're well on the way to achieving that.

Fixing the leaks on pipes to your home or business

Around 70% of water lost from leakage comes from the pipes that deliver water to your home or business. That's why our skilled teams are working day and night, utilising the latest technology to fix 660 leaks per week. Through technology we can even detect some before they happen and identifying and prioritising hidden leaks that would have previously gone undetected for some time.

We carry out approximately 32,000 repairs each year on pipes to your home or business, saving the equivalent to 17 Olympic size swimming pools of water per week!

Help us to help you

We're doing all we can to prevent leaks, but if you see one while you're out and about, please let us know by reporting it to us so we can get to work fixing it.

Once the leak has been reported to us we follow the steps below to get it fixed. Sometimes repairs can take longer than we’d like, as we need to work closely with the council or local authorities to have measures such as traffic management put in place.

  1. Magnifying glass phone icon

    Investigating the leak

    We book in and prioritise leaks by the amount of water being lost and if it's affecting customers' water supply. We try to get the big leaks sorted first.

  2. Pipe Icon

    Planning the repair

    We look at the scale of the work, if the leak is complex we consider how to best manage the impact on customers at home, businesses or people commuting to work. We will also look to see if we need to put additional measures in place to keep taps flowing.

  3. Waterman icon

    Fixing the leak

    While repairing the leak our engineers might have to turn off the water and dig up the road or footpath.

  4. ✓
    Leak repaired

    Once we've fixed the leak, we'll turn the water back on and get your taps flowing again. We'll fill in the hole, remove the barriers and get things back to how they were before as quickly as we can over the next few days. 

Spot those sneaky leaks in your home

Around 30% of water being lost through leaks is actually within customers’ homes or gardens. One of the biggest culprits for leaks in the home are modern push button toilet cisterns. A faulty cistern could be costing you as much as £400 a year in wasted water so it's really worth checking if this is the problem and getting it fixed.

The home owner, is responsible for maintaining and fixing the internal pipes and fittings and also the water pipe that runs from the boundary of the property, usually the edge of your drive or garden, into the home.

Whether you have a dripping tap or a burst pipe, a trusted plumber is only a click or two away head here to find a plumber you can trust. You can also find out more about those sneaky leaks in the household by clicking the link below.

Click here to identify and fix household leaks

You can also prevent leaks in your home by saving water and protecting your pipes to stop them bursting. If you do have any further queries, please call our friendly team on 0800 330 033.

Advice for business customers

If you're a business customer and need advice on leaks, click the button below to get started.

Advice for business customers

Leaks? We're on it!

Find out what we're doing to tackle leakage across the North West.