Front Yard Water Line Leak (Austin: apartments, house, neighborhood)

[mickey65]

My neighbor came over this morning to show me a leak coming from my side of the meter in our (shared) front yard. He thinks it's coming from the meter and the pipe adjoining it. It seems to be just a small area and just happened - since his son noticed it the other day while playing near it.

It seems to be a "norm" in our neighborhood, since I've seen a few folks in the neighborhood with "lakes" in their front yards from this happening.

What's the normal cost to get something like this fixed - to have someone dig a hole and repair the PVC pipe in there?

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by mickey65

My neighbor came over this morning to show me a leak coming from my side of the meter in our (shared) front yard. He thinks it's coming from the meter and the pipe adjoining it. It seems to be just a small area and just happened - since his son noticed it the other day while playing near it.

It seems to be a "norm" in our neighborhood, since I've seen a few folks in the neighborhood with "lakes" in their front yards from this happening.

What's the normal cost to get something like this fixed - to have someone dig a hole and repair the PVC pipe in there?

If it is a short section of pipe that has broken, $150-200. It could easily drive your water bill up if you don't fix it soon.

When that happened to us the water company adjusted my bill downwards after I provided them with proof that we had the leak fixed, a receipt from the plumber. In my case it was a leak in the landscape sprinkler line.

[mickey65]

That's what it ended up being. Some moron who used to live in this house mickey-moused some sprinkler pipes to the main line. The glue eventually corroded and caused the pipe to break. My neighbor dug it up and fixed it tonight. Good as new!

I tried calling a few plumbers on Friday and they were all "too busy" for me - even with no running water in my house since Thursday night. Nice.

[austin0]

If break is outside your meter - in city lines, city should fix it. Inform them.
if break is from your house side of the meter, it is your responsibility to fix it.

you can find that only after you call a plumber to dig to the location of the leak.

And yes, city can adjust water bill but pay attention to this urgently because it is not about your bill, it is more about wasting precious city water.

[mickey65]

It's already been fixed. We caught the leak within a day or two of it popping. My neighbor replaced the pipe last night where it had broke.

I called three plumbers and all of them were "too busy" to come out until next week sometime.

[austin0]

Originally Posted by mickey65

It's already been fixed. We caught the leak within a day or two of it popping. My neighbor replaced the pipe last night where it had broke.

I called three plumbers and all of them were "too busy" to come out until next week sometime.

Thanks a lot mickey. Yes, somehow all types of contractors including plumbers, roofers, cleaners, landscapers etc are all getting busy in Austin.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by austin0

Thanks a lot mickey. Yes, somehow all types of contractors including plumbers, roofers, cleaners, landscapers etc are all getting busy in Austin.

There is currently a huge push to build an enormous amount of apartments in Austin, to absorb the large numbers of people moving here. In addition other commercial construction is picking up. Given the number of liscensed tradesmen who had to move out of Austin during the downturn, it doesn't surprise me that there would be a shortage now.





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