Underground tank leak detection for residential buildings in Al Slam, Riyadh

Prepared by the technical team · editorial review · last updated 13 November 2026 · Sources

Underground tank leak detection in Al Slam: the local context

The centre of Al Slam is at 24.7078, 46.8111, about 13.7 km from the centre of Riyadh, with an approximate radius of 1.2 km. The service-area circle on the map below is drawn from this point. Main roads in or near Al Slam: Abdulrahman bin Awf Road, Al Imam Al Shafi'i Road.

The centre of Al Slam sits about 601 m above sea level (SRTM open elevation data).

Imagine a building owner in Al Slam who notices that the water bill has crept up for no clear reason, or that the water level in the underground storage tank drops faster than the household uses it. Many residents in buildings like this only realise something is wrong after the water pump starts running more often or a damp patch appears in the parking area above the tank. By then, a slow leak may have been quietly wasting water for weeks, so it helps to act on the first hint rather than wait for an obvious failure.

Al Slam is a residential district set at roughly 24.7078, 46.8111, about 13.7 km from the centre of Riyadh, and the area covers an approximate radius of 1.2 km. Its centre sits about 601 m above sea level, according to SRTM open elevation data. For a building owner, this means the district is close enough to the city that many buildings share similar supply arrangements and similar tank ages, so a problem found in one building is worth checking in its neighbours. The elevation matters too, because the water pump has to lift water from the underground tank to the roof, so any leak that forces the pump to work harder shows up quickly as higher running costs and noise. Keeping the tank sound protects both the water supply and the pump.

If you suspect a leak, work through the steps in order. First, record the tank level and your water meter reading on the same day each week for a month, so you have a clear pattern rather than a guess. Second, check the tank walls, lid seal, and the floor around the tank for wet spots, cracks, or staining. Third, if the readings still show loss, arrange a professional inspection to pinpoint the source. Fourth, if the tank lining is worn, get quotes for internal coating, which typically falls in the range of SAR 25–70 per m², and ask how the surface will be prepared before coating. Finally, once repairs are done, keep the same weekly readings going for several weeks to confirm the leak has truly stopped.

For a residential building, shared risers, tanks and pumps are checked as one system.

Signs worth paying attention to

The following signs are worth checking before they grow:

• The pump runs for longer periods
• A noticeable drop in the water level overnight
• Damp or salt marks on the tiles above the tank
• The tank needs refilling faster than usual

Where the problem usually comes from

• A float valve that does not close, so water is wasted — we check this before anything else.
• A common cause: cracks in the concrete tank walls or floor.
• A common cause: construction joints and corners.

Tools we use in Al Slam

From the first visit to the report

1. Safety first: Tank lids and confined spaces are handled with ventilation and a second person on site.
2. Documented level test: Filling and use are stopped and the level is recorded against time.
3. Isolating the tank from the network: This tells us whether the loss is from the tank body or from the supply line.
4. Checking the body and connections: Inlet, outlet and overflow connections are inspected.
5. Recommendation: You get the next step in writing: repair, waterproofing or a line test.

Facts and costs — Al Slam

Questions from Al Slam

Mistakes that cost more

• Ignoring the float valve
• Waterproofing the tank before confirming the loss is from the tank and not the line

What you get after the work

You receive: the written level-test result and the recommended next step, in a technical report with a verification code.