Meter-to-House Water Lines
Water Line Repair & Replacement in Roswell, GA
Leaking, low-pressure and polybutylene water service lines repaired or replaced between the meter and your foundation, with trenchless options when the route allows.
- Leak confirmed before digging
- Trenchless where practical
- Free estimates on replacements
Your Service Line
The pressure regulator usually sits where the line enters the house.
Sound Familiar?
A Soggy Strip in the Yard, or Weak Pressure at Every Tap
Water line problems rarely announce themselves inside the house. Instead there is a patch of lawn that stays green and soft through a dry spell, a meter that spins with the house shut down, or pressure that dropped gradually until every shower feels weak. Sometimes it is a sudden stop: no water at all while the neighbors have plenty.
Water line repair and replacement covers the buried service pipe that runs from your water meter to the point where it enters your house. That pipe belongs to you. Roswell 24/7 Plumbing repairs and replaces service lines across Roswell in 30075 and 30076.
This page is about the pipe outside the foundation. Pipe inside the walls is covered on our repiping page, and the split between the two matters because the methods, permits and costs are different.
Diagnosis
Water Line Symptoms and What They Usually Mean
Most of these can be checked from the meter and a hose bib before anyone digs.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Meter moves with house main closed | Leak between meter and house | Locate with acoustic equipment |
| Green or soggy strip in the yard | Leak on the service line route | Confirm, then spot repair or replace |
| Low pressure everywhere | Leak, crushed pipe or failed regulator | Pressure test at hose bib and meter side |
| Rusty water at first draw | Old galvanized service line | Plan a replacement |
| Repeated leaks on the same line | Polybutylene or aging pipe | Replace the full line |
If the leak turns out to be inside the house rather than in the yard, hidden leak detection and the repiping options take over.
No Water, but the Neighbors Have It?
That points to your service line or main valve. Call and we will walk through the checks.
The Meter Is the Property Line for Water
Fulton County's service lateral flyer is direct about this. If the water service lateral between your home and the meter leaks or breaks, the repair is the owner's responsibility. If the leak is between the meter and the main, it is the County's. Many homeowners do not realize they own that buried pipe until they get the bill.
Roughly 80 percent of Roswell residents are Fulton County water customers, according to the City's 2024 water quality report, and the rest are served by the Roswell Water Utility. Either way, the practical rule is the same: the meter and everything on the street side of it belong to the provider, and everything on your side is yours.
Never dig in or operate valves inside the meter box. If the leak is on the utility side, report it to your provider. If it is on your side, it is a plumbing repair.
Methods
Repair or Replace, Trench or Trenchless
Spot repair
One leak on a line otherwise in good shape gets dug out and repaired at that point.
Open trench replacement
A narrow trench from meter to house with new pipe laid on bedding. Simple in open lawn.
Pulled or bored line
A new line pulled or bored between two pits, sparing driveways, walks and landscaping.
Regulator and valve update
A new line is a good time to replace an old main shutoff and pressure regulator at the house.
Georgia's plumbing code, based on the IPC, calls for a pressure-reducing valve when street pressure exceeds 80 psi, so the regulator gets checked on every service line job. Before any digging, Georgia 811 marks buried gas, power and communication lines. We also replace service lines in nearby Johns Creek, where Fulton County is the water provider throughout.
Cost
What Drives the Cost of a Water Line Job
Distance and what sits on top of the pipe matter more than the pipe itself.
Standard homeowners policies often exclude service lines. Separate service line coverage is sold in Georgia and may cover it. Replacements are planned work and get a free estimate.
Suspect a leak in the yard? Call (770) 214-4545.
Questions
Water Line Questions From Roswell
Fulton County's service lateral flyer puts the pipe between the meter and the house on the owner, and the pipe between the meter and the main on the County. Roswell Water Utility customers can report meter and main issues to the City. If you are not sure which provider serves you, it is printed on your water bill.
Turn off everything inside and watch the leak indicator on the meter. If it moves, close the house main and check again. Still moving means water is escaping between the meter and the house. A soggy strip in the yard or low pressure throughout the house points the same way. Our leak detection team can confirm the exact spot.
Often. Trenchless methods pull or bore a new line between two small pits. Where the route has rock, other utilities or a lot of bends, a narrow trench may still be the better option.
Commonly PEX, HDPE or copper, depending on the method and local requirements. Polybutylene service lines from the 1980s are among the most common replacements in Roswell.
It can be a leaking or partly collapsed service line, a failed pressure regulator, a partly closed main valve, or scale in old galvanized pipe. A pressure test at the hose bib and at the meter side narrows it down quickly.
Plumbing work that replaces water piping generally requires a permit in Roswell. The quote will show it when it applies, along with any 811 locate required before digging.
Sources for This Page
Meter-side responsibility comes from Fulton County Public Works' water and sewer service lateral flyer. Provider shares come from the City of Roswell's 2024 Annual Water Quality and Consumer Confidence Report. The pressure-reducing valve threshold references the IPC as adapted in Georgia's state minimum plumbing code.
Written by the Roswell 24/7 Plumbing team and checked against the sources above. Last reviewed October 1, 2026.
Soggy Yard or Weak Pressure?
Confirm where the water is going, then choose repair or replacement with a clear price.
Call (770) 214-4545