Signs of a Failing Water Service Line in Royal Palm Beach, FL

What the water service line is

The water service line is the pipe that carries drinking water from the public water main, usually under the street, to the house. On the way it passes a shut-off valve and the water meter. After the meter it enters the home, where the house plumbing takes over. Most of the line is buried, often a few feet down, under lawn, a driveway, a sidewalk or a landscaped bed.

Because it is buried and under constant pressure, a service line can leak for a long time before anyone sees it. Water finds the easiest path, so a leak at depth may seep into the soil, follow a trench or drain away, and never reach the surface in a way that looks like a leak. That is why the signs below are indirect, and why more than one sign together is more useful than any single sign.

Signs that show up outside

Look at the ground between the street and the house, and around the meter box. Walk the path of the line if you know where it runs.

A soggy or unusually green patch of lawn in a dry spell, especially in a line from the street to the house.
Pooling water or mud near the meter box, the curb or the foundation when no sprinkler has run.
A sunken spot or small depression in the yard, driveway or walkway. Water can wash soil away and leave a void.
Cracked or shifting pavers or concrete over the path of the pipe.
Water in the meter box that stays full or keeps refilling after you bail it.
The sound of water near the meter or the front of the house when everything inside is off.

Signs that show up inside

Inside the house the clues come through the taps and the bill.

Lower water pressure at every fixture, not only one. A leak or a partly blocked pipe before the house plumbing can reduce what arrives.
Discolored or cloudy water, or water with sediment. Corroded steel pipe can shed rust, and repairs or breaks can stir up debris.
A higher water bill with no change in habits.
Sputtering or air in the lines when you open a faucet.
The sound of running water when every fixture is off, often loudest near where the line enters the house.
Damp spots in a basement or crawl space near the point where the line enters the building.

Check the water meter

The meter is the simplest test you can do yourself. Turn off every fixture in the house, including the ice maker and any irrigation, and make sure no one is running the washer or dishwasher. Find the meter, lift the lid and look at the small leak indicator, often a small triangle or dial, or at the sweep hand or the digits.

If the indicator spins, or the digits climb while everything is off, water is passing through the meter. That does not say where the water goes. It can be the service line, a leak inside the house, a toilet that runs or an irrigation valve. To narrow it down, close the main shut-off valve at the house, if there is one, and check the meter again. If it stops, the leak is inside the house. If it keeps moving with the house valve closed, the leak is likely between the meter and that valve or on the street side of the meter. A provider can confirm it with a pressure test.

Take a photo of the reading and the time. A short log of two or three readings a few hours apart helps the provider on the phone, and it is useful if you have to talk to your water utility.

Common causes of service line failure

Service lines fail for a handful of familiar reasons. Knowing them helps you understand what a provider tells you.

Age and corrosion. Older galvanized steel can corrode from the inside and rust through, and some older copper can develop pinholes. How long a line lasts depends on the material, the water and the soil.
Ground movement. Soil that swells when wet and shrinks when dry can bend and stress a buried pipe. Settling can break a joint.
Tree roots. Roots seek moisture and can wrap or push on a pipe and its joints.
Damage from digging. A fence post, a trench for another utility or a landscaping project can nick or crush a line.
Pressure and surges. High pressure or repeated surges strain joints and old pipe.
Freezing. In cold regions a shallow line can freeze and split.
Installation problems. A pipe laid on sharp stone, or a poor fitting, can fail years later.

What is not a service line problem

Not every sign points to the line outside. A toilet that keeps running, a dripping faucet, a leaking water heater, an irrigation valve stuck open or a leaking hose bib can all raise a bill and move a meter. Low pressure can also come from a clogged aerator, a failing pressure regulator or a partly closed valve.

A good provider starts with the simple checks and works toward the buried line. That order saves money, because digging is the costly step. If you have already ruled out the usual household causes, mention that on the call.

Who is responsible for which part

Responsibility for the service line is split in many places, and it is not the same everywhere. In many places the water utility owns the main and the connection to it, and the property owner is responsible for the pipe from the meter, or from the property line, to the house. In other places the owner is responsible for more, or less.

Do not assume. Call your water utility, give them your address and ask who owns and repairs each part of the line, and whether a permit or a utility inspection is needed before work. Ask the same question if the leak seems to be on the street side of the meter. If the problem is on the utility side, the utility handles it, and you should report it rather than dig.

What to do first

Check the meter with everything off and note the result.
Close the main shut-off valve at the house if water is clearly running and you can reach it.
Look for the signs outside and take photos.
Do not dig. Buried gas, electric, telephone and water lines are close together, and in the United States you call 811 before any digging.
Call and describe what you found. Mention the age of the house, the pipe material if you know it, and what the meter did.

If the water is gushing, flooding the yard or entering the house, treat it as urgent and see the page about emergency water service line repair.

Early signs in Royal Palm Beach homes

Irrigation and pools make a bill harder to read. Turn them off, test the meter and then decide whether the line is the likely cause.

Keep a simple record

Start a note on your phone. Write down the date you first noticed each sign, the meter readings with times, the water bill amounts for the last few months and any work done on the yard. If you can, photograph the meter, the wet patch and the main valve. A provider reads a clear record faster than a general description, and the record is useful if you have to talk to the water utility or an insurer.

Update the note if something changes. A pressure drop that comes on in a day points to a different cause than one that creeps in over months. Say which it was.

When to wait and when to call

If the signs are mild, for example a slightly higher bill and no wet spots, it is reasonable to run the meter test and watch for a day or two. Call sooner if you see water at the surface, a sunken area, brown water, a sudden pressure drop or a meter that moves fast with everything off. Fast loss of water can undermine soil and raise the bill quickly.

If you are unsure, call and describe what you see. The provider can say whether it sounds urgent.

What a provider will do next

An independent provider will usually start with questions, then test. The usual steps are a meter check, a pressure test of the line and, where needed, electronic listening or locating to find the spot. The method for finding the exact point is on the page about water service line leak detection. Once the spot is known, the choices are a repair at that point, a trenchless repair or a full replacement. They are explained on the pages about trenchless water service line repair and water service line replacement.

Ask the provider to explain what they found in plain words, to show you the evidence, such as a gauge reading or a photo, and to give you the quote before work starts. This website is a referral service and does not do the work. The provider sets the price.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if the leak is on my side of the meter?

Close the house shut-off valve and watch the meter. If it stops, the leak is inside the house. If it keeps moving, the leak is likely outside, between the meter and the valve or on the street side. Ask your water utility who owns each part of the line.

Can a water service line leak without showing any water?

Yes. Water can drain into the soil or follow a trench and never reach the surface. Low pressure, a high bill and a moving meter can be the only signs.

Should I dig to look for it?

No. Digging without locating buried utilities is dangerous. In the United States call 811 first, and let a provider find the spot.

Does a high bill always mean a service line leak?

No. Toilets, irrigation, a leaking water heater and a dripping faucet are common causes. A meter test helps separate them.

How long can a service line last?

It depends on the pipe material, the water, the soil and how the line was installed. A provider can tell what you have and how it has aged.

Signs of a failing water service line in Royal Palm Beach, FL