A continuously running toilet wastes 60-260 litres of water per day in Melbourne homes — adding $80-$400 per quarter to your water bill. The two main causes are a failed flapper valve or a failed inlet (float) valve, both of which are straightforward and inexpensive to repair.
Diagnosing the Problem
To determine which valve is failing, add a few drops of food colouring to the cistern without flushing. If colour appears in the bowl, the flapper is leaking past the outlet seat. If the cistern appears to run and refill continuously with no colour in the bowl, the inlet valve is the issue — water is overflowing through the overflow tube.
Repair Options
A licensed plumber replaces the faulty component — flapper, inlet valve, or the full cistern mechanism — in under an hour. Full cistern mechanism replacement costs $180-$320 and leaves all internals in new condition. The water bill saving typically recoups the repair cost within one quarterly billing period.
Sedcon Plumbing — Toilet Repairs Across Melbourne
We repair running and leaking toilets throughout Melbourne with same-day service available. Call 0468 013 012.