Path tap with TAP handle
This image shows a path tap with a handle similar to what you see on a standard tap.
Understanding your water service
It's important to understand what responsibilities you have as a property owner for your water service and system.
Maintenance of your water service and system
As the property owner, you own and are responsible for maintaining and repairing all of the pipes and fittings within your property, from where your water system connects to our water main. You are responsible for any damage caused by a failure of your water system.
As demonstrated in the diagram above, as a service to you, we may maintain and repair your water system between our water main, up to and including the path tap, to the water meter as long as your water system complies with our Water Services Connection Standard. Where your water service may have been wilfully or negligently damaged, this will not apply. For further information, please view our Customer Contract.
Location of your water meter
If the water meter lies more than one metre along the pipe within your property boundary, we will provide this service only up to one metre along the pipe within your property boundary.
We will only maintain and repair your path tap it if is less than one metre along your pipe inside the property boundary (as shown in a registered plan with the Land and Property Information division of the Department of Finance and Services).
Where is my path tap?
Your path tap is not the garden tap at the front of your property. It's the tap connected to your water meter frame, usually at the front of your property and is used to turn your water supply on and off.
Types of path taps
Path tap with LEVER handle
This image shows a path tap with a lever handle, similar to a valve.
Path tap with NO handle
Some path taps have no handles or levers.
What do I do if my path tap is leaking and/or I can't turn turn off/isolate my water supply?
We provide a service for our customers to rewasher your path tap in the instance where it may be leaking or not turning off. You can report the issue online or contact us.
We prioritise and attend to emergency situations such as water main breaks and sewer overflows where our aim is to minimise impact to the environment, and repair and restore these services for our customers as quickly as possible. For this reason, please understand that our service for the repair and maintenance of your path tap may take up to 10 working days. If you require more urgent assistance, please contact us.
What do I do if my path tap doesn't have a handle?
If your path tap is on a Hunter Water meter and doesn't have a visible handle (older spindle style valve) you may need to contact a licensed plumber. In the instance where you may like a tap head to be fitted to your path tap, you may need to contact a licensed plumber to provide you with this service.
However, if your path tap is on a sub-meter in a complex, it is private infrastructure and you will need to contact your body corporate or your complex manager.
When to contact a licensed plumber
In these instances below, you will need to contact a licensed plumber to carry out the appropriate work at your own expense.
- Where damage to your water system has occurred (not caused by Hunter Water)
- Any faults associated with illegal services and unauthorised connections
- Where your water service is connected to privately owned water mains (some community title subdivisions or private joint water services may fall into this
- Fire services or combined fire and domestic water services
- Where you have a privately owned water services
- Where your main to meter service is greater than 40 millimetres in diameter and/or that is designed and installed to meet a customers demand requirements.
- Backflow prevention devices except where the device is integrated into the meter supplied and owned by us.
HOW TO CHECK FOR WATER LEAKS
Watch our video to learn how to check if you might have a water leak at your property.
METER READING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS?
Learn more about our meter reading process and frequently asked questions.