Where your pipes start
Waikato Waters spells it out. With a water meter, your pipes start where the meter connects to them; with no meter, at the gate valve, the toby. Everything after that is private plumbing, and yours to maintain.
For wastewater, if the public pipe runs inside your boundary, the line is the joint between your pipe and its pipe or manhole. If the public pipe is outside, the line is where your pipe crosses the boundary.
What is local to Cambridge
Waipā District
Stats NZ places Cambridge in Waipā District, one of the councils Waikato Waters took over from on 1 July 2026.
Lake and river water
Waikato Waters lists Lake Karapiro and the Waikato River as the source for Cambridge, Hautapu and Karapiro, with no fluoride added.
A new treatment plant
The new Cambridge Wastewater Treatment Plant was under construction in mid-2026 and on track for completion late that year.
More gas heating
15.4% of Cambridge homes use a fixed gas heater as a main heater, against 9.5% nationally.
Found a leak?
Turn it off if it's bad
For a significant leak, shut the water off at the gate valve.
Get a licensed plumber
Leaks on private property are the owner's, including the pipe from the house to the public network.
Keep the paperwork
Keep a record of the repair, and tell your insurer if there is damage.
Ask about a rebate
Ask Waipā District Council whether you qualify for a leak rebate. It will want the record of repair.
What we would do
Find your toby or meter now and check the lid lifts and the valve turns, so you're not hunting for it with water on the floor. On a meter, take a reading, use no water for half an hour, then read it again: any movement points to a leak on your side. For a gas heater or califont, use an authorised gasfitter and keep the Gas Safety Certificate.
More nearby: Te Awamutu, Hamilton and Hamilton gasfitting. Tell us about the Cambridge job and a tradie who specialises in it can pick it up. Your phone number goes to that tradie alone.