Water Line Leak Between the Meter and the House: Driveway, Yard and Garage Leaks

Whose line is it?

Generally, the property owner is responsible for the line on the house side of the meter, and the water utility for the meter and the street side. In Westminster the utility is the City of Westminster Water Division. In Stanton it's Golden State Water. Seal Beach and Huntington Beach residents are served by their city utilities. If the leak is at the meter itself or toward the street, call the utility first.

Telling a service line leak from a slab leak

Here's the test: close the main shutoff valve where the water line enters the house, often near a front hose bib. Then check the leak indicator on the meter.

• Indicator still moving: the leak is between the meter and that valve. That's the service line.
• Indicator stops: the leak is inside the house's plumbing, possibly under the slab. See slab leak detection.

Some houses have no separate valve at the house. A plumber can make the split for you. The water meter leak test has the full steps.

How it gets fixed

Spot repair. The plumber locates the leak, then digs or opens just that section. Under a driveway, that usually means saw-cutting a neat rectangle of concrete. Callers ask, "Can you saw cut into the concrete driveway?" Yes, it's a common way in. Ask who patches the concrete afterward and how the patch will look.

Full line replacement by trench. A new line is laid along a new or existing trench from the meter to the house. Useful when the old line has several problems.

Trenchless replacement. Where the soil and old pipe allow, a new line is pulled through the path of the old one with only small pits at each end. Less digging under lawns and driveways, but not every line is a candidate.

While the line is exposed, ask about the pressure regulator where the line enters the house. A failing regulator lets pressure climb, which strains every pipe downstream.

What to mention on the call

• Where the water surfaces: lawn, driveway, walkway or garage edge
• Whether the utility has already looked at the meter
• Roughly how old the house and line are
• Pavers, landscaping or a driveway over the line's path
• Whether you own or rent. Renters, see slab leaks for renters and landlords.

Local history worth knowing

In parts of Seal Beach's College Park East tract, built from 1965, local reporting records water service lines under front lawns and driveways failing within about a decade of construction. Many have likely been replaced since, but it shows how much a service line matters. See slab leak repair in Seal Beach.

A high bill is often the first sign. High water bill, no leak found walks through the checks, and the main slab leak repair page covers leaks under the house itself.

Questions callers ask

Can a leak under the driveway damage the slab?

Water washing out soil next to a garage slab or driveway can leave concrete unsupported. That's a good reason not to leave a service line leak running.

Is trenchless replacement always possible?

No. It depends on the soil, the old pipe's material, its depth and what's in the way. The plumber will say whether it fits after looking at the route.

The utility says the leak is on my side. Now what?

Call a plumber to locate it and talk through repair methods. Ask how the driveway, walkway or lawn will be patched afterward.