Colne Girls Football Club

A customer reported an unusually high water bill, which led to the confirmation of a leak on the cold-water supply pipe running between the external water meter and the internal stopcock in the kitchen, a distance of approximately 100 metres. The leak was causing a loss of around 2,880 litres of water every 24 hours.

The Process

Polygon’s specialist Leak Detection Technicians were appointed to identify the exact location of the leak so that targeted excavation and repair could take place without unnecessary disruption. A series of advanced tests were carried out, including Acoustic Profiling, Pipe Mic inspection, CAT and Genny tracing, and tracer gas technology. Flow testing through the meter confirmed a consistent loss of approximately 1 litre every 30 seconds.

During the Pipe Mic test, an obstruction was found about 7 metres into the pipe. The team then switched to a smaller diameter mic, which successfully continued the trace. This confirmed that the pipe route ran beneath a grassed area adjacent to a tarmacked car park. A tracer gas survey was then conducted, which identified the leak around a tree approximately 39 metres from the kitchen stopcock.

The Solution

The root cause of the high-water usage was identified as a leaking cold-water supply pipe located under the soil near the tree. Crucially, this confirmed that the leak was not beneath the car park, as initially feared.

The Outcome

By accurately locating the leak site, Polygon enabled a focused and efficient repair. The customer avoided unnecessary excavation of the car park, saving tens of thousands of pounds in potential reinstatement costs. Business operations continued uninterrupted, and the issue was resolved with minimal disruption thanks to the fast response and precision of our leak detection team.