Quick answer
If a pipe bursts in your HDB flat, shut the stopcock at your flat's PUB water sub-meter, just outside your main door or in a service cupboard. Keep away from wet sockets, move valuables, photograph the damage and warn the flat below. Pipes after the meter are the owner's to fix. SG QuickFix repairs exposed pipe joints from $80.
SG QuickFix pricesTap to WhatsApp
| Exposed pipe joint leak repair | From $80 |
| Visible leak diagnosis | From $60 |
| Flexible hose leak repair+ part | From $60 |
| Exposed PVC pipe repair | From $90 |
| Exposed copper pipe repair | From $100 |
| Concealed leak investigation | From $180 |
Current SG QuickFix starting prices. Final price confirmed before work begins.
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What should I do in the first 10 minutes after a pipe bursts?
Shut off the water at the meter, keep clear of anything electrical that is wet, then limit the damage and record it.
Minutes 0 to 2: stop the water
- Go to your flat's PUB water sub-meter, just outside your main door or in a service cupboard.
- Close the valve beside your meter until the water stops flowing.
- If the burst is at a sink, cistern or heater, also close that fitting's angle valve (which HDB calls the ball valve).
- Open a low cold tap to drain the water left in the pipes.
Minutes 2 to 8: make it safe and limit the damage
- Switch off the water heater if its switch and your hands are dry.
- Lift electronics, documents and rugs off the floor.
- Push standing water towards the nearest floor trap, then mop.
- Knock on the flat below if water is seeping through the floor.
Minutes 8 to 10: record it
- Photograph the burst point, the meter and damaged items before cleaning up. The same photos help price a water leak repair.
- Note when you found the leak and shut the valve.
- If you rent, tell your landlord.
Where is the water shut-off valve in an HDB flat, and how do I close it?
The shut-off valve is the stopcock at your flat's PUB water sub-meter, just outside your main door or in a service cupboard.
HDB's pipe guide says to "shut the stopcock at the PUB water sub-meter" when a pipe leaks (HDB: Pipes), and SP Services' BTO guide gives the meter's location. A cupboard may hold several flats' meters, so close the valve on your own.
A lever valve is closed when the lever sits across the pipe, usually after a quarter turn. A round handle closes clockwise. Once the valve is shut, the meter's counter should stop moving.
What if the valve won't turn?
Don't force it with a wrench: a snapped valve can leak harder than the burst. Call PUB's 24-hour line on 1800 225 5782; when an owner can't isolate a leak on private pipes, PUB will help shut the supply (MSE: pipe burst reply). PUB's simple-works list doesn't name the angle valve, so have a PUB Licensed Plumber replace a seized one later; see angle valve replacement.
Is a burst pipe my responsibility, the town council's or PUB's?
The owner maintains pipes after the flat's meter; PUB owns the meter, and the town council handles common pipes before it (PUB: Water supply handbook).
| Where the water comes from | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| A pipe after your meter, inside or outside the flat | The flat owner, using a PUB Licensed Plumber |
| The water meter itself | PUB, on 1800 225 5782 |
| The common pipe before your meter, a riser or the water tank | The town council (common property) |
| A defect in a flat less than 1 year from key collection, not renovation damage | HDB, under the Defects Liability Period (DLP) |
If your burst pipe soaks the flat below, see who pays for an HDB ceiling leak.
What usually makes a water pipe burst in an HDB flat?
Most "bursts" in HDB flats are a split flexible hose or a leaking exposed joint, not a split pipe.
HDB's pipe guide names deterioration from use and pipes hit by objects. Other common causes:
- Braided flexible hoses under sinks, basins and cisterns that age and split.
- Corroded joints on older copper pipes in resale flats.
- A drill or nail hitting a concealed pipe during renovation.
- Worn connections at the water heater.
- Pressure surges when a valve or washing machine shuts the water off quickly.
If water seeps from a wall, floor or ceiling with no visible pipe, read how to find where a ceiling or wall leak comes from, or concealed pipe leak in an HDB flat.
How much does a burst pipe repair cost in Singapore?
SG QuickFix repairs an exposed pipe joint leak from $80; the pipe material and access decide the rest.
| Job | When you need it | SG QuickFix price |
|---|---|---|
| Visible leak diagnosis | You can't tell where the water comes from | From $60 |
| Flexible hose leak repair | A hose under a sink, basin or cistern has split | From $60, plus the hose |
| Exposed pipe joint leak repair | A joint on a visible pipe leaks or sprays | From $80 |
| Exposed PVC pipe repair | A visible PVC pipe has cracked | From $90 |
| Exposed copper pipe repair | A visible copper pipe has split or pinholed | From $100 |
| Concealed leak investigation | Water comes from a wall, floor or ceiling | From $180 |
Concealed leak repair is quoted after diagnosis, as tiles may need opening. Parts, awkward access and after-hours work raise the price; each job is priced separately. See the full plumber price list for Singapore.
For an accurate price, send a photo of the burst point and a short video if it still drips. Ask whoever repairs a water pipe for their PUB licence number. If water reached sockets or the DB box, have the circuits checked with an electrical inspection before power goes back on.
Does insurance cover a burst pipe in an HDB flat?
If your flat has HDB fire insurance (compulsory with an outstanding HDB loan), it covers burst-pipe damage to fittings HDB provided, not furniture or renovations.
The HDB Fire Insurance master policy covers "bursting or overflowing of water pipes" for items HDB provided, including plumbing fittings, but not the owner's renovations. HDB says the scheme does not cover home contents, which need separate home insurance (HDB: Fire insurance).
Home contents policies often cover burst pipes, but some exclude the burst pipe itself. Keep your photos and the plumber's invoice for a claim.
| Safe to DIY if… | Call a professional if… |
|---|---|
| The meter valve or an angle valve turns freely | The meter itself is leaking: PUB. A seized meter valve: report it to PUB (1800 225 5782) |
| A split flexible hose needs swapping, with the water off | A pipe or joint has split: PUB Licensed Plumber |
| You are mopping, drying and moving belongings | Water reached sockets, the heater or the DB box: licensed electrical worker |
| You are photographing damage for insurance | Water comes from a wall, floor or ceiling: leak investigation |
| Don't tape a joint and turn the water back on | An angle valve is seized or leaking: PUB Licensed Plumber |
What happens when you WhatsApp us?
- 1WhatsApp us a photo or short video of the problem.
- 2We confirm the price before we come.
- 3A technician arrives at the agreed time.
- 4The job is done and you pay only the confirmed price.
Water Leak Repair
From $80
- Concealed & exposed pipes
- Joint & valve repair
Water Leak Repair FAQs
A burst water pipe is an emergency until the water is off. Once the PUB meter valve is shut and nothing electrical is wet, it is usually a same-day or next-day repair. If the burst is isolated at its own angle valve (which HDB calls the ball valve), you can reopen the meter valve for the rest of the flat.
A pipe repair clamp or self-fusing tape can slow a pinhole leak on a straight, exposed pipe, with the water off while you fit it. Tape won't hold on joints, bends or concealed pipes, and it isn't a repair. Keep the meter valve closed until the pipe is properly fixed.
Only in part. PUB lets anyone replace a tap, a flexible hose or the pipe between a stop valve and an instantaneous water heater. Repairing or replacing any other water pipe is water service work for a PUB Licensed Plumber. Since 1 Apr 2018, it has been an offence to engage a plumber not licensed by PUB for it.
Call PUB's 24-hour line on 1800 225 5782 (1800-CALL-PUB) if the water meter itself leaks, as PUB owns and maintains every meter. A leak on the common pipe before your meter, in the corridor or service cupboard, is common property: report it to your town council. Leaks after the meter are the owner's to repair.
A new HDB flat has a 1-year Defects Liability Period (DLP) from key collection. Shut the water at the meter, then report the burst pipe to HDB through the QR code in your Welcome Kit or at the Building Service Centre, unless renovation work caused it. After the year ends, the owner engages their own contractor.
No. HDB fire insurance, compulsory while you have an outstanding HDB loan, covers items HDB provided, such as its original plumbing fittings. HDB says it does not cover furniture, renovations or personal belongings, which need separate home insurance. Check that policy's wording for burst-pipe exclusions.
Yes. SP Services advises shutting the control valve at the water meter when an HDB flat is left empty for a long period, so a failed hose or joint can't flood it while you're away. Some home insurance policies also exclude water damage after a home has been empty for about two months.
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Sources & updates
- HDB: Home care guide, pipes, checked 1 Oct 2026
- SP Services: Pre-turn-on information for new BTO owners (PDF), checked 1 Oct 2026
- PUB: Handbook on application for water supply (2022, PDF), checked 1 Oct 2026
- MSE: Written reply to parliamentary question on pipe burst incidents (Feb 2025), checked 1 Oct 2026
- PUB: Plumbing works (licensed plumbers and simple works), checked 1 Oct 2026
- PUB: Flood safety tips, checked 1 Oct 2026
- HDB: Rectification of defects in new flats, checked 1 Oct 2026
- HDB: Functions of HDB branches and town councils, checked 1 Oct 2026
- HDB: Fire insurance, checked 1 Oct 2026
- Updated 1 Oct 2026: First published
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This guide is general information for homes in Singapore. It is not professional, legal or safety advice for your specific situation. Electrical, gas and some plumbing work can be dangerous, and Singapore law requires certain jobs to be done by licensed workers. Any work you carry out yourself is at your own risk, and SG QuickFix accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage or injury arising from the use of this information. Prices shown are current starting prices, may change, and the final price is confirmed before any work begins. Rules and figures from HDB, PUB, EMA, SP Group and town councils were correct when last checked; please confirm with the relevant authority before acting.