My meter spins and the yard is wet
Meter moves with the house main closed
The leak is between the meter and the house.
Soggy or sunken lawn strip
Water from the pipe is surfacing or washing out the soil.
Pressure that drops through the house
A growing leak can pull pressure down before the yard shows anything.
Sound of hissing near the meter box
A leak at a fitting or the curb stop.
The service line is usually the property owner's responsibility from the meter onward, though the exact boundary depends on your utility. DeKalb County Watershed Management handles the water system, and the meter and the street side are theirs. If the leak is at the meter itself, we document and report it.
Our approach is to confirm before digging. We isolate the line, pressure test it and use a ground microphone to locate the leak. A mark on the lawn within a short distance is the goal, not a long trench.
| Repair method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Spot dig | Excavate at the leak and repair the section | A single leak in sound pipe |
| Trench replacement | Dig the whole run and lay new pipe | Old, corroded or repeatedly failing lines |
| Trenchless pull | Pull new pipe through a small entry pit | Lines under driveways and landscaping |
| Reroute | Run a new line on a different path | When the old path is blocked or inaccessible |
Before anyone digs
Georgia 811 is free, and notice is requested at least three business days before digging so underground utilities are marked. We submit the notice for work we do. Digging without it risks gas, electric and communications lines, and it is the main way service lines get cut by accident. If you are planning your own project near the line, call before you dig. For leaks inside the house, see leak detection.
What to do about a suspected service line leak
- Close every fixture, read the meter, then close the house main and read it again.
- Photograph the wet area and the meter reading.
- Keep vehicles and heavy equipment off the soft ground.
- Do not dig until the lines are marked.
What affects service line repair cost
Length and depth
Longer, deeper lines mean more excavation.
Surface to cross
Driveways, patios and trees raise the scope.
Pipe material
Copper, PEX and polyethylene are available.
Method
Spot dig, trench and trenchless differ.
Restoration
Lawn and hardscape repair are separate.
Insurance may offer a service line endorsement, and many standard policies do not cover the buried pipe. Check yours. For your real number, call (770) 214-4545.
Meter running with the house closed?
Call the 24/7 line. We confirm the leak before any digging.
Service lines in Tucker
Tucker is in DeKalb County, and its water is Chattahoochee River water treated at the Scott Candler plant. Our service area also reaches Gwinnett addresses in Lilburn and Norcross, where Gwinnett County's water resources department supplies Lake Lanier water and names about 4,000 miles of distribution pipe. We confirm which utility applies before we quote. If a leak turns out to be inside the house, we move to burst pipe repair or repiping.
Standards and sources
Plumbing work in Georgia follows the state minimum plumbing code, which is built on the International Plumbing Code (IPC) with Georgia amendments. Ask the City of Tucker permit team which edition and which local rules apply to your address. Plumbers are licensed through the Secretary of State's Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers, and you can ask for a license number. Any digging starts with a free call to Georgia 811, at least three business days ahead.
Written by Tucker Express Plumbing for homeowners in the Tucker area. We name standards where they apply and tell you when a rule depends on your address.
Questions we hear from homeowners
Yes. We answer around the clock. If water is surfacing, close the house main and the meter shutoff if you can, then call.
Close the house main and watch the meter. If it moves, the leak is between the meter and the house.
Usually the owner is responsible from the meter to the house, and the utility from the meter back. We confirm for your address.
Sometimes. Trenchless methods reduce digging when the path and soil allow.
Yes. Request marking at least three business days before digging. We handle that for our work.