The Pipe Between the Street and Your House
A leak in the line that brings water to your house shows up as a moving meter, a soggy yard or weak pressure. Call, and a plumber serving your area will locate the problem and explain the repair.
- Licensed and insured plumbers
- Same-day service when available
- 24/7 emergency dispatch
What the Water Line Does
The service line runs underground from the connection at the main, or from a well, to the house. Everything inside the home depends on it. A leak or break in the line wastes water, lowers pressure and can undermine the soil around it long before anything shows on the surface.
This page covers that outdoor line. A leak inside the house is covered on leak detection and repair, and failing pipes inside the walls are on the replacing old pipes page.
Signs the Line Is Failing
Underground leaks hide for a while. These are the clues.
| Clue | Why it happens |
|---|---|
| Meter keeps moving with every fixture off | Water is leaving the line somewhere |
| A soggy or sunken patch in the yard that stays wet in dry weather | The pipe is leaking into the ground |
| Low pressure throughout the house | A break or a restriction in the line |
| Dirty or rusty water after repairs on the street | A disturbed line or a failing older pipe |
| A hissing sound near the meter or the shutoff | Pressurized water escaping close to the house |
Meter running with everything off?
Stop the water at the main and call. A plumber serving your area can be arranged once the job is described.
Finding Out Whose Line It Is
Before anyone digs, learn where the utility's responsibility ends and yours begins. In some places the owner is responsible from the meter to the house, and in others the boundary sits differently. Nothing found sets one rule for Warrenton, so ask rather than assume.
For a Warrenton address the number is 540-347-6574, for the county authority it is 540-349-2092 and for Remington it is 540-439-3220.
Ask whether the meter and the shutoff beside it are the utility's, and where the line first becomes yours.
Repair, Replace or Reroute
The options follow the extent of the damage.
| Option | What happens | Fits when |
|---|---|---|
| Spot repair | Dig down to one failed section or fitting and swap it | A single localized leak |
| Replacement | A new line is laid from the connection to the house | The line is old, repeatedly failing or undersized |
| Trenchless replacement | A new line is pulled through without a continuous trench | Landscaping or paving makes a trench costly |
The plumber should explain the material of the new line, the depth and the way the connection is made at each end.
Before Anyone Digs
Underground work starts when VA811 is notified three working days in advance, after which member utilities mark their lines. Private lines on your property are not marked, so locating those falls to the plumber.
A permit is typically needed for a permit in Fauquier County, and the Fauquier County Water and Sanitation Authority requires a permit release before the county permit where it serves the address. Ask who handles each step.
Sources: VA811; Fauquier County utility contacts.
Pressure Problems and Wells
Low pressure is not always the line. A failing pressure regulator, a closed valve or clogged fixtures can cause it too, and a plumber checks those first. Many outlying Fauquier County communities use private wells or small groundwater systems, and a well line connects to a pressure tank and pump instead of a public main. Those homes follow different checks, such as pump cycling and tank pressure.
Water line trouble?
Describe the meter, the wet spot or the pressure. You will learn if it can wait for morning.
Meter Readings and the Water Bill
The meter is the easiest way to confirm a line leak. Read it, avoid using water for an hour and read it again. A change means a leak somewhere. A bill that jumps for no reason is another clue, and your utility can tell you how your use compares with earlier months. Note the readings and dates for the plumber.
What the Plumber Will Ask
Expect a few questions on the call. When did the symptom start? Is the meter moving with everything off? Is the wet spot in the yard near the meter or near the house? Do you have a public connection or a well? Answers narrow the problem before the visit and make the first hour more useful.
High Pressure and the Pressure Regulator
Too much pressure is hard on fixtures, supply hoses and the water heater, and it can cause banging and slow leaks. A pressure regulator, also called a PRV, sits near the main shutoff and holds the house pressure steady. A plumber checks it with a gauge on an outdoor spigot. If the reading is high, the regulator is adjusted or replaced. A failing regulator can also produce low pressure or surging flow.
Pressure testing of the lines is how a plumber confirms that a line holds after a repair. The line is closed and watched on a gauge for a set time.
Water Line Questions
What is the water service line?
It is the pipe that brings water from the public main or a private source to your home. It usually enters near the main shutoff valve and the meter.
How do I know the service line is leaking?
Common signs are a water meter that moves with everything off, a wet or sunken patch in the yard, unexplained low pressure and a bill that keeps rising with no change in how much water you use.
Who owns the line, me or the utility?
Results vary with where the line runs and who serves you. Ask your utility where its side ends, since no one rule for Warrenton turned up. The utility numbers are listed below.
What if my home has a private well?
Many communities outside the town use private wells or small systems, and the line from a well to the house is the owner's responsibility. A plumber can check the line and the connection to the pressure tank.
Does digging need a call first?
Yes. Notify VA811 three working days ahead of any digging. VA811 does not mark private lines.
Water line failing?
Call dispatch with what you see at the meter and in the yard. A plumber serving your area can confirm the problem.