The attenuation of the fundamental non-torsional modes that propagate down buried steel water pipes has been studied. The mode shapes, mode attenuation due to leakage into the surrounding medium and the scattering of the modes as they interact with pipe joints and fittings have been investigated. In the low frequency region the mode predicted to dominate over significant propagation distances approximates a plane wave in the water within pipe. The established acoustic technique used to locate leaks in buried steel water pipes assumes that leak noise propagates as a single non-dispersive mode at a velocity related to the low frequency asymptote of this water borne mode.