If a water pipe bursts inside your home, shut off your unit’s water supply at its stopcock if you can reach it safely and identify it confidently. HDB points residents to the stopcock at the PUB water sub-meter. For an internal pipe that needs repair, contact a PUB-licensed plumber. Keep clear of water near sockets, cables or electrical equipment. HDB guide to leaking pipes PUB licensed plumbing requirements
If water is coming from a shared building area, alert the Town Council for HDB common property or the building management for a private property. For a major pipe burst in the street or an urgent water supply interruption, call PUB’s 24-hour line at 1800 2255 782. If you cannot identify the source, describe where the water first appeared and where it is spreading. HDB guide to Town Council responsibilities PUB 24-hour contact information
- Close your unit’s stopcock only if it is safely accessible and clearly identified.
- Keep people away from wet electrical equipment and notify the team responsible for the affected area.
- Call PUB for a major burst or urgent water supply interruption.
On this page
- If the water is coming from inside your unit
- If water is coming from a corridor, ceiling or street
- What to tell the repair team
- Frequently asked questions
If the water is coming from inside your unit
Locate the valve that controls your own unit. If the meter or valves serve multiple homes and you are unsure which is yours, get help from management or a licensed plumber. Avoid forcing a stuck valve or operating shared equipment. Tell the plumber whether the water slowed or stopped when the unit supply was shut. HDB guide to leaking pipes PUB licensed plumbing requirements
If water is spreading towards sockets or the electrical distribution board, keep out of that area and tell building management or a licensed electrical worker about the hazard. Do not enter standing water to reach a valve or switch.
If water is coming from a corridor, ceiling or street
A leak visible at a ceiling or wall may start somewhere else. Notify building management or the Town Council if it appears to involve a shared service. If the water is reaching another unit, tell the occupants or ask management to alert them. Give the time the leak began and whether it continues when your own unit’s water is off. HDB guide to Town Council responsibilities
If water is gushing from a road or footpath, report it to PUB at 1800 2255 782. Give the street, nearest building or junction and whether people or vehicles are having to divert. Keep clear of the affected surface. PUB 24-hour contact information
What to tell the repair team
Say where the water appears, how fast it is spreading, which valve you closed and whether anyone else is affected. Mention any nearby electrical equipment. If you rent, tell the owner or agent once you have acted on the immediate problem, and pass along the plumber’s or building team’s findings when available.
A flat example
Water begins running from a kitchen pipe in an HDB flat. An adult reaches the clearly identified stopcock from a dry area and shuts it. The family tells the plumber where the pipe is and informs management that some water may have reached the corridor. The repair team now knows which work is inside the flat and which area needs checking outside.
Frequently asked questions
Should I turn the water back on to show where it leaks?
Keep it off and let the plumber decide how to test the affected pipe. Tell them what you saw before shutting it. HDB guide to leaking pipes
Can I close a valve if I cannot tell which home it serves?
Ask management or a licensed plumber to identify it. The shut-off step applies to your unit’s own stopcock. HDB guide to leaking pipes
What if several homes lose water at once?
Check whether building management has issued a notice. Report an urgent water supply interruption to PUB and describe the blocks or units affected if you know them. PUB 24-hour contact information
Sources
- HDB guide to leaking pipes
- PUB 24-hour contact information
- PUB licensed plumbing requirements
- HDB guide to Town Council responsibilities