# Water Leak Under Driveway Nottingham | Lift One Spot | Notts Leak Detection > Water leak under a driveway in Nottingham? Tracer gas finds it through tarmac and block paving, so only the marked spot is lifted. Open 7 days, 9am–7pm. URL: https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-leak-under-driveway/ 1. [Home](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/) 2. [Underground Water Leak Detection](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/underground-water-leak-detection/) 3. Water Leak Under Driveway # Water Leak Under a Driveway in Nottingham [Notts Leak Detection](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/) traces a water leak under a driveway across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, through tarmac, block paving or concrete, so only the spot over the leak is lifted. Book driveway leak detection 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) [Request a quote](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/contact/) Lines open Monday–Sunday, 9am–7pm. ![Leak position being marked with spray paint on a tarmac driveway in Nottingham after leak detection](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/leak-spot-marked-with-paint-on-tarmac-driveway-nottingham.webp) - Tarmac, block paving, concrete - Tracer gas through hard surfaces - Acoustic listening - Only the marked spot lifted - Moling under the drive - Neighbour's pipe? Report says so Last updated: 28 September 2026 A water leak under a driveway is one of the hardest to find by eye. The supply pipe often runs under the drive from the boundary to the house, and water escaping from it tends to drain down into the ground instead of showing on the surface. Often the first sign is a bigger bill, or a meter that keeps turning with everything off. ## Finding it through the surface Leak noise travels through tarmac, concrete and block paving, so a ground microphone can often pick it up from the surface. When the leak is too quiet, usually on plastic pipe, tracer gas does the work. The pipe is filled with a non-flammable 5% hydrogen mix, which rises through soil, paving joints and even tarmac, and a detector finds where it comes out. The spot is marked on the drive before anything is lifted. The methods are covered in full under [underground water leak detection](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/underground-water-leak-detection/). ## Lifting as little as possible On block paving, the blocks over the leak are lifted, kept and relaid after the repair. On tarmac or concrete, a neat square is cut over the leak and patched afterwards. The repair itself goes through that one opening. See [water supply pipe repair](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-supply-pipe-repair/). If the pipe is old or lead and needs replacing, [moling](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-pipe-moling/) can pull a new one underneath without lifting the drive at all. ## What's included - Meter test to confirm the leak is on the buried pipe - Pipe route traced under the drive - Acoustic survey across the surface - Tracer gas where the leak is too quiet to hear - Leak marked on the drive - Advice on lifting and relaying the surface - Moling option if the pipe needs replacing - Written report with photos ## How the options compare Water Leak Under Driveway: options compared Compare Do it yourself Dig-and-hope operator Proper leak detection Drive dug up Wherever the wet patch is Several trial holes One marked spot Block paving Lifted in a wide area Lifted in a wide area A few blocks lifted and relaid Tarmac or concrete Broken out widely Broken out widely Cut over the leak only If the pipe is failing Patched Patched Moled underneath instead ## Related resources - [Learn How to find a water leak underground](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/how-to-find-water-leak-underground/) - [Decision Guide How much does leak detection cost in Nottingham?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/leak-detection-cost/) - [Decision Guide How much does moling a water pipe cost?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/moling-water-pipe-cost/) Water coming up now? 1. 1Turn off your internal stop tap. It is usually under the kitchen sink. 2. 2Water in the road or on the pavement? That is Severn Trent's: call 0800 783 4444 (+448007834444). 3. 3On your side of the boundary? Call us, 9am–7pm, 7 days. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) Standards and rules we work to - Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 - WRAS-approved fittings on any repair - Non-flammable 5% hydrogen tracer gas - Severn Trent's published split of pipe responsibility Step by step ## What happens, from call to report 1. ### Meter test Stop tap off and meter checked, to confirm the leak is on the buried supply pipe. 2. ### Trace the route Find where the pipe runs under the drive, which is rarely a straight line. 3. ### Pinpoint Listen through the surface, or use tracer gas, which rises through paving joints and tarmac. 4. ### Mark and advise Leak marked, with repair options, including moling if the pipe needs replacing. The work ## How the work looks Illustrative photos of the methods and finish described on this page. They are not records of particular customers' jobs. - ![Tracer gas detector moved over block paving to find a leak under a driveway, Nottingham](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/tracer-gas-detector-over-block-paving-nottingham.webp) Tracer gas detector moved over block paving to find a leak under a driveway - ![Small square of block paving lifted over a leak, blocks kept for relaying, Nottingham](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/small-square-of-block-paving-lifted-nottingham.webp) Small square of block paving lifted over a leak, blocks kept for relaying - ![Repaired water supply pipe in a small hole under a driveway, Nottingham](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/repaired-pipe-in-hole-under-drive-nottingham.webp) Repaired water supply pipe in a small hole under a driveway - ![Block paving relaid neatly after a supply pipe repair under the drive, Nottingham](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/block-paving-relaid-after-repair-nottingham.webp) Block paving relaid neatly after a supply pipe repair under the drive Leak under the drive? Lift one spot, not the whole thing. Driveway leak detection anywhere in Nottinghamshire. Lines open Monday–Sunday, 9am–7pm. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) [Request a quote](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/contact/) Questions ## Water Leak Under Driveway: common questions ### My neighbour's pipe runs under my drive and it is leaking. Who pays? Severn Trent says a supply pipe belongs to the house it serves, even where it crosses someone else's land. So a leak on their pipe under your drive is theirs to fix, although they will need your agreement to get to it. See [who is responsible for the water supply pipe](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/who-is-responsible-for-water-supply-pipe/). ### Will you need to dig up my whole drive? No. The aim is one marked spot. On block paving that usually means lifting a small area and relaying the same blocks. On tarmac or concrete, a neat square is cut over the leak. ### Why is there no wet patch if there is a leak? Water from a buried pipe often drains downwards instead of coming up, especially under a hard surface. The first sign is often the bill, not the drive. ### How much does it cost to find a leak under a driveway? Checkatrade lists general leak detection in Nottingham at £105–£192. Specialist mains leak detection, the kind needed under a drive, is published locally at £595 + VAT. See [how much leak detection costs](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/leak-detection-cost/). ### Are you open 24 hours? No. Lines are open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. Out of hours, turn off your internal stop tap to stop the flow and call us in the morning. If water is coming up in the road or on the pavement, that is on Severn Trent's side: report it free on 0800 783 4444 (+448007834444). Related ## Related services - ### [Underground Water Leak Detection](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/underground-water-leak-detection/) Pinpoint a leak on the buried pipe between the boundary and your house with acoustic, gas and meter tests before anyone digs. View service - ### [Water Pipe Moling](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-pipe-moling/) Pull a new water pipe underground with a mole, leaving the drive, lawn and path in place. View service - ### [Water Supply Pipe Repair](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-supply-pipe-repair/) One leak on your supply pipe, found and fixed through a single small hole. View service Find the leak under the drive before anyone lifts it. Call to book, or send a quote request. Lines open Monday–Sunday, 9am–7pm. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) [Request a quote](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/contact/)