How Much Does it Cost to Repair a Water Main?

Repair a Water Main Costs
Location: National
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Average reported costs:
based on 340 cost profiles
Most homeowners
spent between:
$357 - $1,215
Minimum cost:
Maximum cost:
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Fixing a water main line can be a costly undertaking. Broken water mains have been known to flood homes with mud and cause streets to crumble. Also this type of plumbing repair requires a professional plumber with a very specialized skill set. It's in every homeowner's best interest to keep a close eye on the health and functionality of the home's main water line. Here are a few factors that can affect the price of this costly repair.

What is the water main?

Your water main is the pipe that connects your home plumbing to the public water supply. This main line funnels water from the public main into the various pipes of your home. Monitoring your main water line can seem impossible since it is underground and not easily accessible without digging. So it is important to take some fundamental precautions and spot some signs of possible water main issues.

Is your plumbing old?

If your main water line and the plumbing in your home is old, you will need to have it serviced more often than normal. Even if your plumbing system seems to be working just fine, it is a great idea to have your water main inspected and serviced every year to try to catch any leaks, weaknesses or issues before they begin. To avoid future issues it may be advantageous to replace your older water main even before an issue occurs. Your plumber can help you decide if this or if a simpler maintenance plan is the best course of action.

Increased water usage

It is a good idea to monitor the water usage in your home to see if there is a sudden spike in water use. This is often a sign of a leak that has gone unnoticed. Catching a water main leak early can be difficult since the pipes are underground. Plus if the leak is small and slow, the damage could go undetected for months to years until the damage caused by the leak is too large to repair. If you carefully monitor your family's water usage you can catch problems or leaks in the water main before they are insurmountable. Only part of the expense of water main repair is the repair of the main itself. An equal or larger part of the cost of the repair is often fixing the damage caused by the leak.

Water in your yard

If there is a large water main leak, the water will often come up through the earth around your home and form puddles on your property. If you see puddles such as these you will want to contact a plumber immediately to fix the leak. Once the leak is fixed, you may need to call a gardener or landscaper to fix any damage that may have been done to your lawn or gardens. The cost of the landscaping and repair can sometimes outpace the cost of fixing the water main.

Basic precautions

If your water main is old or damaged when you move into your home, it is difficult to know if it is too late to stop any damage before it starts. However, one basic precaution you can take is to avoid any deep digging in your yard and property that might damage or pierce the pipes.

