Water Service Line Replacement

Signs of a failing service

• Pressure that has dropped across the whole house, not just one tap
• A soggy patch on the lawn between the house and the street, even in dry weather
• A meter that turns when everything inside is off
• Discoloured water after the line has sat overnight
• Older galvanized or lead service pipe visible where it enters the basement

Lead pipe looks matte grey, and scraping it lightly with a coin leaves a bright silver mark. If you find one, ask the Town about testing and replacement.

Curb stop and ownership

At the property line there is a curb stop, a buried valve with a small access cap in the lawn or driveway. Generally, the pipe running from the curb stop to your house is the homeowner's responsibility, and from the curb stop to the main belongs to the municipality. Before any work, we confirm that division with the Town of Aurora, since rules and procedures can change.

Trenching versus trenchless

An open trench is dug from the curb stop to the foundation, the old pipe removed and new pipe laid on proper bedding below the frost line. It is simple and lets everyone see the work, but it disturbs lawns, walkways and gardens.

Trenchless replacement pulls a new pipe along the path of the old one, or bores a new path, using a pit at each end. It leaves landscaping mostly intact. Whether it works depends on soil, pipe material and what else is buried in the way. We confirm utility locates before any digging.

Coordinating with the Town

Water service work needs the curb stop operated, and sometimes work on the municipal side at the same time. We book the required permits and inspections and coordinate shutoff timing with the Town, so you hear in advance which morning the tap goes dry and roughly until when.