Water Leak in Tokyo (2026): Who to Call Depends on Which Side of the Meter

This page is general information from official sources. It is not legal advice and it does not set a repair price. For your own case, ask the Tokyo Waterworks Customer Center or the water office of your city.

If water leaks at home in Tokyo, first close the valve inside the water meter box to stop the water. Then find out where the leak is. A leak on the street side of the water meter is handled by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Waterworks. A leak from the meter to your tap, or inside the building, is repaired by a designated contractor (指定給水装置工事事業者) that you hire and pay.

Where the leak is	Who repairs	First call
Street side of the meter	The Bureau (with exceptions)	Customer Center
Meter to tap, or in the building	You, through a designated contractor	Contractor or its association’s center
You cannot tell	The Bureau investigates	Customer Center
Empty house or vacant lot	The Bureau takes the report	Customer Center

The Bureau’s pages are in Japanese. Whether phone staff speak English is not stated (section 7).

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1. Who fixes a water leak in Tokyo?

Tokyo Waterworks (23 wards and Tama)

The Bureau repairs leaks between the road and the water meter, with some exceptions. You hire and pay a designated contractor for everything from the meter to the tap. The Bureau does not repair a leak in these cases:

• The meter is 50 mm or larger, and the leak is more than 1 m inside the road boundary.
• It is the water pipe of a public facility, more than 1 m inside the road boundary.
• The pipe is inside a building.
• The cause can be traced to someone, such as damage from construction work.
• The repair needs a tree to be moved, heavy concrete work or heavy machinery for digging.

Tokyo Waterworks: Where to ask for leak repairs (Japanese)

The Bureau’s own video, in Japanese, shows its staff who find and fix leaks on public pipes. It is from the Bureau’s official YouTube channel.

If the leak is on a road, the Bureau’s staff investigate in the 23 wards. In the Tama area, staff of Tokyo Water Service Co., which the Bureau contracts, investigate. In both cases you contact the Customer Center. Tokyo Waterworks: FAQ on leaks (Japanese)

2. Which number do I call?

Tokyo Waterworks (23 wards and Tama)

For repairs from the meter to the tap, call the contractors’ center for your area: 0120-850-195 in the 23 wards (24 hours, every day) or 0570-037-666 in Tama (8:00–18:00). Each center introduces one designated contractor near you. These two centers are run by plumbing associations, not by the Bureau.

Contact	Phone	Hours
Customer Center (both areas)	0570-091-100	8:30–20:00, closed Sundays and holidays; urgent matters such as leaks: 24 hours, every day
23 wards: contractors’ center	0120-850-195	24 hours, 365 days
Tama: contractors’ center	0570-037-666	8:00–18:00; closed Sundays, holidays, Saturdays that are holidays, and the year-end and New Year period

The Bureau asks you to check the 23-ward number carefully before you dial. If the 0570 navigation dial does not work, such as on an IP phone, use 03-5326-1101 (23 wards) or 042-548-5110 (Tama). On the navigation dial, press 3 at the voice guide for leaks and plumbing work. Tokyo Waterworks: Frozen pipes (Japanese)

You may also call a designated contractor you already know. Lists are on the Bureau’s page: designated contractors for the 23 wards and for Tama, and a list of repair-registered contractors. Tokyo Waterworks: Where to ask for leak repairs (Japanese)

3. Who pays, and how do I choose a contractor?

Tokyo Waterworks (23 wards and Tama)

Repairs from the meter to the tap are at your own cost, and the contract is between you and the contractor. The Bureau does not take part in the contract amount. Contractors usually charge a call-out fee for repairs and surveys, and some charge for a quote. Ask before you agree.

• Explain the problem and the site to the contractor before work starts.
• Get a written quote. If you can, ask several contractors.
• Ask for an explanation of the work, the cost and the after-service.
• In an emergency, ask roughly what the work will cost before you agree.

If a price seems high, the Bureau says it cannot give guidance on repair costs. The Bureau also has a page that warns about dishonest water repair companies (Japanese).

Tokyo Waterworks: FAQ on leaks (Japanese)

4. What if I rent or live in an apartment?

Tokyo Waterworks (23 wards and Tama)

In shared housing, contact the building’s owner, manager or management company first. The Bureau lists these contacts by housing type.

Housing	Contact
Tokyo public housing and JKK Tokyo homes	JKK Tokyo Customer Center
UR Agency complexes	The complex’s service desk, through the building manager
Condominiums and others	Owner, manager or management company

The Bureau’s page does not give a phone number for JKK Tokyo. Tokyo Waterworks: Where to ask for leak repairs (Japanese)

5. How do I know if water is leaking?

Tokyo Waterworks (23 wards and Tama)

Turn off every tap and water-using appliance. If the pilot on the water meter (パイロット, the part that spins or blinks) keeps moving, water is leaking somewhere between the meter and a tap. At night, water use drops and the water pressure rises, so a leak can lose more water.

If the pilot does not move but you still see a leak on your property, contact the Customer Center. The Bureau staff will investigate. Tokyo Waterworks: Find and fix leaks early (Japanese)

The Bureau shows what a leak can cost in one month. The figures include sewer charges and exclude consumption tax. They assume a 20 mm meter and 24 m³ of normal use a month.

Where	How it leaks	Water lost a month	Cost a month
Tap	Thin thread, about 1 mm	About 6 m³	About ¥1,800
Tap	About 2 mm (a matchstick)	About 16 m³	About ¥5,500
Toilet A	Water trickles from the front of the bowl	About 20 m³	About ¥7,000
Toilet B	Water in the bowl moves slightly	About 150 m³	About ¥69,000

To stop the water, turn the valve in the meter box to the right (clockwise). Find it before you need it, and close it when you leave home for a long time. If a toilet keeps running, you can tighten the toilet’s own stop valve with a flat screwdriver as a first aid.

6. Can I get a lower bill after a leak?

Tokyo Waterworks (23 wards and Tama)

You pay for the water the meter recorded, even if it leaked, but the Bureau says a reduction may be possible depending on the circumstances. The FAQ treats this as a question to ask after the repair is done. It gives no conditions, rate or period.

In a 2022 reply to a resident, the Bureau said a reduction may be possible depending on the repaired spot. It said it would mail a leak repair report postcard (漏水修繕連絡票) to the address, which you fill in and return. The Bureau then phones to ask about the repair and your water use. Whether this is still the procedure is not stated on the current pages. Tokyo Waterworks: Residents’ voices, August 2022 (Japanese PDF)

After the repair, call the Customer Center (0570-091-100) and ask.

7. What should a newcomer to Tokyo know, and is there English help?

Tokyo Waterworks (23 wards and Tama)

The Bureau’s leak and repair pages are in Japanese, and the Customer Center page does not say whether phone staff speak English. The pages have a language menu that lists many languages, including English, but the menu is machine translation. Use it only as a guide.

• The Bureau has an English inquiry form (English form). The form says replies may take 1 to 2 weeks, so it does not suit an active leak.
• The Tokyo Waterworks app has an English mode, but it can only start or cancel a water contract. It does not report leaks. Tokyo Waterworks: App English mode
• The 23 wards and Tama use different contractor associations and numbers. Hours differ too, and the Tama center is closed on Sundays and holidays.
• Pipes freeze easily below about -4°C, and in windy or shaded spots at higher temperatures. If you leave home for several days between December and early March, close the valve in the meter box.
• Have your address and your customer number (お客さま番号, on your bill) ready when you call. The English app page says it is a 10-digit number.

Tokyo Waterworks: Inquiries (Japanese) and Frozen pipes (Japanese)

8. What if I live in Musashino, Akishima or Hamura?

Depends on your city

Musashino, Akishima and Hamura cities, Hinohara Village and the islands are outside the Bureau’s area, so contact your own city or village. This page covers the three cities. Their pages are in Japanese, and none of them describes English support for leaks.

City	Repair	Bill reduction	Phone
Musashino	City office or designated contractor	Ask the Water Customer Center	0422-52-0735
Akishima	On-duty shop or designated contractor	Not stated by the city	042-543-6111
Hamura	Designated contractor	Ask the Water Office	042-554-2269

Musashino City

For a leak in a yard, or on the street side of the meter box, call the Engineering Section of the Water Works Division (水道部工務課) on 0422-52-0735 to ask for an investigation. You can also ask a designated contractor of the city. If the water does not stop, turn the stopcock in the meter box 90 degrees clockwise. Renters contact the management company, and owners hire a designated contractor. After a leak from faulty or damaged water supply equipment is repaired, one billing period may be reduced in some cases. Ask the Water Customer Center on 0422-52-0733. Musashino City: Water FAQ (Japanese)

↑ Back to the comparison table

Akishima City

Ask the city’s on-duty emergency leak repair shop directly, from 8:00 to 20:00 on weekdays and holidays. For an urgent case outside those hours, such as water gushing onto a road, call the Construction Section of the Water Department (水道部工務課) on 042-543-6111. For a minor leak, you can ask a designated contractor of the city directly. If you pay for the repair, the city cannot recommend a shop. Choose from the city’s list, and check the quote and the call-out fee. Tenants contact the owner or management company first. The city’s leak page does not mention a bill reduction. Akishima City: When you find a leak (Japanese) and the on-duty shop schedule

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Hamura City

Ask a Hamura City designated water supply equipment contractor to repair a leak on the tap side of the meter. If it cannot be repaired right away, close the main valve (元栓) in the meter box when you are not using water, such as at bedtime. Depending on where the leak was, the water and sewer charges may be reduced, but only for a limited period, so repair early. Ask the Water Office on 042-554-2269. The city page, updated October 5, 2026, does not give hours for this number, so check before you call. Hamura City: Leak check (Japanese)

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Common questions

Who investigates a leak on a road?

In the 23 wards, Bureau staff do. In the Tama area, staff of Tokyo Water Service Co., which the Bureau contracts, do. Contact the Customer Center.

Who owns the water pipes on my property?

The Bureau says the water equipment in a home is the customer’s property, and the customer is responsible for keeping it in order.

Can the Bureau tell me if a repair price is fair?

No. The Bureau says it cannot give guidance on repair costs, because the price is set in the contract between you and the contractor.

Who do I call about an empty house or vacant lot?

Report a leak at an empty house or vacant lot to the Customer Center.

Sources (checked October 2026)

12 pages we checkedShow

• Tokyo Waterworks: Where to ask for leak repairs (Japanese)
• Tokyo Waterworks: Find and fix leaks early (Japanese)
• Tokyo Waterworks: FAQ on leaks (Japanese)
• Tokyo Waterworks: Frozen pipes (Japanese)
• Tokyo Waterworks: Residents’ voices, August 2022 (Japanese PDF)
• Tokyo Waterworks: Inquiries (Japanese)
• Tokyo Waterworks: App English mode
• Tokyo Waterworks: Customer Center (Japanese)
• Musashino City: Water FAQ (Japanese)
• Akishima City: When you find a leak (Japanese)
• Akishima City: On-duty emergency leak repair shops (Japanese)
• Hamura City: Leak check (Japanese)