Roswell Water Line Repair and Replacement from the Meter to the House
A leak on the water line between the meter and the house can run for weeks before anyone sees it, and the first sign is often the bill. This page covers water line repair and replacement in Roswell, Georgia: main and yard service lines, trenchless options and pressure testing.
It also covers low water pressure, a stuck shutoff and the question of who owns which part of the line. A plumber serving your area can tell you where the problem sits before any digging begins.
- Licensed and insured plumbers
- Same-day service when available
- 24/7 emergency dispatch
Water line repair: signs of trouble on the buried line
The water line runs from the meter to the house, usually underground, and a leak on it can run for weeks without a visible puddle. Water line repair starts with the signs: a bill that climbs for no reason, a meter that moves with every fixture off, pressure that sags, or a patch of lawn that stays soggy and green in dry weather.
| What you notice | What it can mean |
|---|---|
| Meter dial turns with all fixtures off | A leak somewhere after the meter |
| A wet or sunken spot in the yard | A leak on the buried line |
| Pressure drops across the whole house | A break or a restriction in the main line |
| The sound of running water that nobody is using | A leak inside the house or on the line |
| Muddy or discolored water after a repair nearby | Disturbed sediment or a damaged line |
The meter test is the first step: shut every tap, then watch the dial. If it moves, the leak is real. A plumber can tell whether it is inside or outside, and the leak detection overview explains how a hidden leak is located.
The service line and who owns it: meter to house
Who repairs a water line from the curb stop to the house? The homeowner does. Fulton County's flyer on water and sewer service laterals puts the line from the house to the meter on the homeowner, and the meter and the main on the county side. If the leak is before the meter, the utility handles it. After the meter, it is yours.
Source: Fulton County laterals flyer.Not every Roswell address gets water from the same provider. The city's own water utility has roughly 5,600 customers, and Fulton County supplies everyone else in Roswell. Your water bill names the provider, and that decides whom you call about the meter or the main.
Source: Roswell Water Utility.A plumber can fix the yard line and the connection at the house, and can tell you whether the problem is on your side of the meter before you call the utility.
Suspect a water line leak?
Call the dispatch line and describe the wet spot or the bill. A plumber serving your area takes it from there.
Water line replacement and trenchless options
Water line replacement makes sense when the line is wearing out along its whole run, or when repairs keep coming back. Open-trench replacement digs along the old line and lays new pipe, and it gives the plumber full access to every joint. Trenchless methods, such as pulling new pipe through the old path or bursting the old line, dig only at both ends and spare driveways, trees and landscaping.
Which method fits depends on the soil, the depth, what sits on top of the line and how long the run is. A camera or locator helps decide before any digging starts. The utility's 2024 report lists no identified lead service lines in its system, and the material on your side of the meter is something a plumber can confirm when the line is exposed.
Source: Roswell 2024 water quality report.
Main water line leaks and pressure testing
A leak on the main water line is serious because the line carries the whole house supply, and a break can waste a lot of water quickly. Pressure testing isolates the line: the plumber closes the house side and watches a gauge, and a drop means the leak is on the line. It is a quick way to separate a main line leak from a problem inside the house.
Water line detection tools help pin the location in a yard. Listening gear picks up the hiss of a pressurized leak, and a locator traces the pipe path. Once the spot is known, the repair can be a short section or a longer run, depending on how much of the pipe is in poor shape.
High and low water pressure: the regulator and the line
Pressure problems are often a valve, not a break. A pressure regulator, also called a PRV, sits near the meter or where the line enters and steps the city pressure down for the house. When it fails, pressure can climb high enough to stress fixtures and hoses, or fall low enough that showers trickle.
High water pressure shows up as banging pipes, leaking relief valves and fixtures that wear fast. Low water pressure may be a partly closed valve, a clogged filter, a failing regulator or a leak on the line. A plumber checks pressure with a gauge at a hose bib, then works back toward the source.
No water or very low pressure?
Dispatch is open around the clock for water line problems.
The water meter, the shutoff valve and a stuck valve
Know where your main shutoff is before you need it. It is usually near the meter or where the line enters the house. A shutoff valve that will not turn is a common problem, and forcing a corroded valve can snap the stem and leave the water running.
A cold water line that stops flowing, a shutoff that sticks and a wet backyard can add up to a failing line or a valve that has frozen in place. Do not force the valve. A plumber can replace a stuck valve, and the utility handles the meter itself. Leave the meter alone, and report a leaking meter box to the utility.
- Locate the main shutoff and learn which way it turns.
- Exercise the valve once a year so it does not seize.
- Watch the meter dial with every fixture off to confirm a leak.
- Never tamper with the meter or its seals.
Digging near a water line: call 811 first
Buried water, gas, electric and communication lines share the same yards. Before a trench is dug for a water line repair, Georgia 811 has the underground utilities marked. You can reach the service by dialing 811 or 1-800-282-7411, and the marking has to be done before the dig starts.
Source: georgia811.com.Your plumber should handle the call as part of the job, and should leave the paint marks in place until the work is done. A trench dug without a locate risks a gas line or a cable, which is why the call comes first.
Well systems and pressure tanks
Most Roswell homes use utility water, but a home on a private well has a pressure tank in place of the city supply. A pressure tank that leaks, short-cycles or has lost its air charge shows up as no water or pulsing pressure. If that is your situation, say so on the call, because the repair is different from a line repair on city water.
Water line repair covers Roswell and nearby cities such as Sandy Springs service area, Milton area page and Chamblee area page.
Roswell water line repair questions
Why is there no water at my house and a pressure tank leaking?
A home on a private well has a pressure tank that holds water and air. When the tank leaks or loses its air charge, pressure drops and the pump cycles rapidly, and the house can run dry. Switch off the pump to protect it and call a plumber. On city water the tank is not part of the system.
Who repairs the water line from the curb stop to the house?
Between the meter and the house, the line is the homeowner's. Fulton County's flyer places the meter and the main on the county side. If you are unsure which provider serves you, check your bill: the city runs its own utility for part of Roswell, and Fulton County covers the rest.
A plumber can repair your side of the line, from the meter box to the house, while the county handles its own side.
What does my water meter tell me about a leak?
The meter dial turns whenever water moves through it. Close every tap and appliance, then watch the dial or the small triangle on it. If it moves, water is going somewhere. That points to a leak on the line or inside the house, and a plumber can narrow it down.
My cold water line stopped flowing, the shutoff valve is stuck and the backyard is wet. What now?
Do not force the valve, since a corroded stem can snap. Check the meter dial to see whether water is leaking, then call. A wet backyard with no water inside can mean a possible broken service line, and a plumber can confirm it and repair or replace the stuck valve.
Water line trouble in Roswell? One call starts it.
Dispatch is open 24/7 for water line repair and replacement.
- Licensed and insured plumbers
- Same-day service when available
- 24/7 emergency dispatch