Leak before or after the water meter: who should you contact and what should you do immediately?

First reduce the danger, without touching the meter

If water is approaching electrical equipment, move away. Do not touch wet appliances or a wet electrical panel, and do not cross an area of water that could be live. Only consider switching off the electricity from a dry place, using a dry control that is safely accessible. A bulging ceiling also means you must leave the area. If people are in immediate danger, call 18 or 112 in France.

If it is safe, close only a private supply valve that you can identify with certainty and operate by hand without forcing it. Do not operate a communal valve without authorisation. Do not try to tighten the meter, remove a seal, dismantle a connection or open a hazardous inspection chamber. If the valve is stuck, tell the professional.

For the full sequence of steps to protect belongings and report the incident, see the guide to a water leak in a flat. Here, the main aim is to identify the pipework involved and the right contact.

Main meter or submeter: the distinction that changes the picture

The meter linked to the water supply account

This measures the account holder's consumption: an individual home or, frequently in a co-owned building, the whole building. The contract and the water service's regulations define the respective scope of the service connection, meter and internal plumbing. The meter's physical position in a cellar or garden is no substitute for these documents.

The home's individual allocation meter or submeter

This is used to allocate consumption within the building. A leak before this submeter may still be on the co-owned building's internal pipework, rather than the public network. A leak after it is not, on its own, enough to settle responsibility between tenant, owner and managing agent either.

Ask the caretaker, managing agent or landlord whether this is the account meter or a consumption-allocation meter. If it can be read safely, compare the visible number with the bill or information from the managing agent. Report any missing or contradictory label: do not test the valves for several homes to find the right one.

Who should you call based on what you can see?

• Water on the supplier's meter, its connection or what appears to be the public service connection: contact the supplier named on the bill and describe the location precisely. It will confirm its remit and the next steps. In a co-owned building, notify the managing agent at the same time.
• A leak in a service shaft, cellar or pipe serving several homes: notify the caretaker or managing agent to arrange access and work on the shared installation. Being in a communal area is a clue, not definitive proof of ownership.
• A visible leak on a flexible hose, tap or identified private pipe: arrange a plumbing visit and notify the landlord if you are a tenant.
• Unknown source or meter type: say so clearly to the supplier or managing agent; report what you observe without asserting that it is a ‘public-network leak’ or ‘the neighbour's leak’.

In Paris, the official Eau de Paris website provides access to the customer area and service contact information. Outside Paris, check the bill for your municipality's supplier: it is not necessarily the same operator. This guide does not claim there is a single boundary that applies to all water services.

For a leak on private plumbing, the water leak repair service is the appropriate starting point. If the cause is not visible, ask whether the proposed visit covers a visible repair or a separate leak detection service.

Useful information for the first conversation

A factual description helps avoid sending someone to the wrong type of job. Prepare the following information, but only if it is accessible without risk:

• Address, building, floor and location of the meter or damp area.
• Whether the meter type is known or unknown, its readable number and the account holder's name if you know it.
• Whether there is an active leak or a damp mark, and whether water is visible on the pipe or only on the floor.
• Whether the private shut-off valve is closed, and any change observed without reopening it for a demonstration.
• Whether one home or several are affected; contact details for the caretaker or managing agent.

Take an overview photo and a close-up if the area is safe. A photo can show where water is visible, but not necessarily where it first escapes. A meter turning when there is no known consumption may indicate a problem, but does not locate the leak or, on its own, identify who must pay. Do not delay reporting an active leak in order to carry out a consumption test.

Repairs, damage and excess consumption: three separate matters

The first matter is the component that needs repairing: the water service's remit, the co-ownership regulations and the identified cause will be relevant. For rented homes in France, Service Public and ANIL distinguish minor repairs from age-related wear. A leak inside the home is therefore not proof that the tenant must pay all the costs.

The second matter is damage: notify your insurer as soon as you discover it, keep evidence of emergency work and check your policy. Water damage insurance does not mean repairs to the pipe or meter will automatically be reimbursed. If separate leak detection work is proposed, ask the insurer or managing agent who should arrange it before ordering it, without delaying necessary emergency measures. Do not start restoring damaged surfaces without the insurer's agreement.

The third matter is an abnormally high water bill. Not every leak qualifies for relief: have the type of pipe involved, applicable exclusions and required repair certificate checked in particular. A bill-capping scheme may apply subject to conditions; it is neither a general waiver of charges nor an automatic consequence of the words ‘after the meter’. Service Public describes the procedure, including a one-month deadline from the water service's notification in the situations concerned. Contact the water service promptly to check eligibility and the supporting documents required. With a shared water account, pass the information to the managing agent or account holder rather than assuming you must submit the request yourself.

Your checklist before the next step

These boxes help you prepare the conversation. They are neither sent nor saved.

CHECK THE ORIGINAL SOURCES

Useful resources

French-language sources about French procedures. Check your own policy and circumstances.

• Service Public — Co-ownership regulations ↗
  Identification of communal and private areas; content accessed on 17 October 2026.
• Eau de Paris — Contact us ↗
  Paris water service, customer area and contact information; page and content accessed on 17 October 2026. The service's scope of intervention must be confirmed with it.
• Service Public — What should you do if your water bill rises abnormally? ↗
  Reporting, conditional bill capping and the procedure; content accessed on 17 October 2026.
• Service Public — Water damage insurance ↗
  Emergencies, leak detection, reporting and restoration; content accessed on 17 October 2026.
• ANIL — Tenant or owner: who pays for repairs? ↗
  The role of maintenance and age-related wear; content accessed on 17 October 2026.

Where to go next

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