Updated 2026-10-11 · by Plumbline
Short answer: Turn off every tap and water appliance, note your water meter reading, wait 30 minutes without using water, and read it again. If the meter moved, water is leaking on your side of the meter. Check the toilet cistern first, then taps, the water heater and exposed pipes; if nothing shows, the leak may be concealed in a wall or floor.
Plumbline writes these guides from PUB and government sources and published Singapore price data; each claim links to where it comes from.
The meter test
- Turn off every tap, and anything that uses water (washing machine, water heater inlet if it has a valve).
- Find your water meter and write down the reading.
- Wait 30 minutes without using any water.
- Read the meter again.
If the number moved, water is leaking somewhere after the meter, which is your side: PUB maintains the pipes up to the meter, and everything downstream is the consumer’s (PUB handbook).
Where to look, in order
- Toilet cisterns. The most common silent leak. Add food colouring to the cistern; colour in the bowl after 15 minutes means it is leaking through.
- Dripping taps and mixers. Replacing a tap is simple work a handyman may do (PUB).
- The water heater and its connections.
- Exposed pipes under sinks and behind appliances.
- Damp patches on walls or floors near wet areas: a sign of a concealed leak.
If nothing shows
The leak may be concealed inside a wall or floor. That needs a plumber to locate it before any hacking. Published 2026 rates for concealed leak work run from S$300 to S$800 (source). Pipe work needs a PUB Licensed Plumber.
Request a plumber to find the leak.
Want a plumber to sort it?
A plumber who covers your area calls you back with a price.
Request received.
A plumber who covers your area will call you on the number you gave. If water is flooding, turn off the main stop valve beside your water meter while you wait.
More questions
How do I test a toilet cistern for a leak?
Put a few drops of food colouring in the cistern and wait 15 minutes without flushing. If the colour appears in the bowl, the cistern is leaking through.
What does finding a concealed leak cost?
Published 2026 rates for concealed leaks needing hacking run from S$300 to S$800 at Singapore firms.