"The individual said he was a porter who was there to fix a plumbing leak," Sergeant Hollomon said.

Even emergencies such as plumbing leaks, he said, could be handled in a stop-gap way until longer-term solutions have been weighed.

I could see water marks streaking down the wall, some long-ago plumbing leak or possibly a hole in the roof.

At school, there was a plumbing leak and we were standing on the steps, talking.

One bright spark was already muttering about plumbing leaks.

Tenants say the walls crumbled, plumbing leaks were largely ignored, the boiler kept breaking down and there was a fire on the top floor.

The family asserted that the insurance company delayed making payments to repair a plumbing leak, which led to mold infestation.

Preparing before an emergency strikes can help minimize damage whether from a minor plumbing leak or a catastrophic natural disaster.

Examples include cutting through rusty screws and bolts on things like gutters, and mending plumbing leaks.

Checking for plumbing leaks and practicing water conservation will help the system's operation.