Main Water Line Replacement: Signs Your Service Line Is Failing

The main water line, also called the water service line, is the pipe that carries water from your meter to your house. It's buried, so most homeowners never think about it until something goes wrong. When it starts leaking, it can waste a lot of water, run up your bill and soften the ground around it. Here's how to spot the signs and what fixing it involves.

Who's Responsible for It?

In most of Tampa Bay, the water utility is responsible for the main in the street and the line up to the meter. The homeowner is responsible for the service line from the meter to the house. If you're not sure where your meter is, look for a rectangular lid in the ground near the street or sidewalk.

Signs Your Water Line Is Leaking

• A wet or soggy spot in the yard between the meter and the house, especially when it hasn't rained
• A patch of grass that's greener or grows faster than the rest of the lawn
• A water bill that jumps without any change in how you use water
• Low water pressure throughout the house
• Hissing or running water sounds near the meter or where the line enters the house
• A sinking spot or depression in the yard or driveway along the line's path
• Rusty or discolored water, which can point to old galvanized pipe

The Meter Test

You can check for a leak yourself. Turn off every faucet, appliance and the irrigation system so no water is being used. Then look at your water meter. Most meters have a small leak indicator, often a little triangle or dial, that spins when any water is flowing. If it's moving with everything off, water is leaking somewhere.

To narrow it down, close the main shut-off valve at the house and check the meter again. If the meter is still moving, the leak is likely in the service line between the meter and the house. If it stops, the leak is inside the house. For leaks inside, a running toilet is the most common cause. See toilet keeps running.

Why Water Lines Fail

• Age and material. Older homes may have galvanized steel lines that rust from the inside, or polybutylene service lines that crack at the fittings.
• Tree roots wrapping around or pressing on the line.
• Shifting soil and Florida's sandy ground settling over time.
• Damage from digging, fence posts, or heavy vehicles driving over a shallow line.
• High water pressure, which strains every joint. See water pressure.

Repair or Replace?

A single leak in an otherwise healthy line, like a failed fitting or a spot damaged by digging, can often be repaired by exposing and replacing that section.

If the line is old galvanized or polybutylene, has leaked more than once, or is causing low pressure throughout the house, replacing the whole line is usually the better investment. A new line is typically PEX, copper or a modern plastic pipe designed for underground use. The job involves digging a trench along the route from the meter to the house, connecting the new line at both ends, testing it, and restoring the trench. Most replacements are done in a day or two, depending on the length and what's in the way, like driveways, walkways or landscaping. The work is permitted and inspected.

Don't Wait on a Water Line Leak

An underground leak doesn't fix itself. It keeps running up your water bill, it can undermine walkways and driveways, and a slow leak can turn into a break. If the meter test shows water moving with everything off, have it checked.

Water Line Help

Believe Plumbing repairs and replaces water service lines across Tampa Bay. See our pipe repair and installation services, including Tampa, Brandon and Carrollwood, photos of water line work in our gallery, or contact us for a free estimate.