Ballina Shire Council is stepping up its fight against wasted water, determined to track down every hidden leak in the local network.

Around 10 per cent of the Shire’s water supply is currently being lost before it ever reaches taps – a big improvement from past years when losses were closer to 20 per cent. Council says that drop already saves the equivalent of 160 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water each year.

Now the water team is going further, relaunching its Active Leak Detection Project from mid-August.

Specialist contractors from AquaAnalytics will cover more than 350 kilometres of Ballina’s mains, using high-tech listening devices that can detect leaks as small as 10 litres an hour – without the need for digging.

The checks will also flag possible leaks on private properties. Where suspected leaks are found, residents will receive a letterbox notice with advice on how to arrange repairs through a plumber.

Council’s Manager of Water and Wastewater, Scott Turner, said the project delivers “big wins” for both the environment and the community.

“When we ran this program in 2022 and 2024, we repaired more than 150 leaks in the public network and identified about 80 on private properties,” Mr Turner said.

“If left unchecked, those private leaks alone could have added about $200,000 to residents’ annual water bills across the Shire. By finding and fixing leaks early, we protect this precious resource and help households avoid nasty surprises.”

The Active Leak Detection Project is funded through the NSW Government’s $35.3 million Water Efficiency and Regional Leakage Reduction Program, which has already surveyed more than 23,000 kilometres of mains across the state, repairing thousands of leaks and saving nearly 8 billion litres of water a year.

For more information, visit ballina.nsw.gov.au or call 1300 864 444.

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