A broken water service line
The service line is the pipe that carries water from the utility's main, through the meter, to your house. If it breaks, water either surfaces in the yard or flows underground where you cannot see it. A spongy patch of lawn, a sudden drop in pressure or a meter that spins with the house shut off are the common signs.
Close the valve on the house side of the meter if you can reach it. If the break is before the meter, call the utility as well as us, because the utility controls the shutoff at the main.
A wet patch in the yard
Water surfacing along the line path, even in dry weather.
Low pressure everywhere
A break in the service line reduces pressure at every fixture.
A high bill with no cause
A buried leak runs all day and shows up on the next bill.
Dirty or discolored water
Water pulled back into a damaged line can carry soil.
How we repair a service line
Locate the line
We confirm where the pipe runs and where it has failed.
Choose the repair
A short break gets a spot repair. A failing old pipe may be replaced for the full run.
Dig and replace
We excavate, replace the pipe with approved material and restore the trench.
Test and restore
We test the line under pressure, check the meter and restore service.
Water line broken?
Call the 24/7 line about water service line repair and we will book the next appointment that fits.
Who handles what
| Part of the system | Usually responsible | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Water main in the street | Water utility | Call the utility for main breaks |
| Meter | Water utility | The utility reads and owns it |
| Line from meter to house | Property owner | We repair this section |
| Piping inside the house | Property owner | See leak detection |
Check your utility's rules or ask us. Responsibility can vary by address.
What service line repair costs and what changes it
You hear a clear price before work starts. Line length and depth set most of the cost.
The factors:
Homeowner's insurance often excludes underground line repair unless a service line endorsement is in place. Check your policy.
Massillon service lines: lead and old pipe
Aqua Ohio's Massillon Division serves most Massillon addresses, and the utility reports its 2024 lead and copper sampling found 33 samples with none over the action level. The utility also maintains a service line material inventory, which you can check through its lead map. If your service line is old and unlined, replacing it during a repair is worth discussing.
In Perry Township both the City of Canton and Aqua Ohio serve water, and the name on your bill tells you which one serves you. That matters because the utility's shutoff and meter rules differ. Tell us your utility when you call and we plan the repair around it.
Water service piping follows the material and installation standards in the Ohio Plumbing Code, OAC Chapter 4101:3, and your utility sets its own rules at the meter.
Before we arrive
Water service line questions
Yes. The line is open 24 hours a day, every day. Call, describe what you see, and we book the next appointment, with same-day appointments offered when available.
The property owner generally does. The utility owns the main and the meter.
A wet patch in the yard, or a meter that moves with every fixture off, points to the service line.
Sometimes. Trenchless methods work in some soil and access conditions. We explain the options after we find the break.
You hear a clear price before work starts. Length, depth, pipe, restoration and permits all matter.