Water main replacement cost
Replacing the water main into a house costs $1,500 to $6,000, typically $3,000. Under a lawn it is the bottom of that range. Under a driveway and a sidewalk it is the top.
National average
$3,000
per project
Replacing the water main into a house costs $1,500 to $6,000, typically around $3,000. That is the buried line from the street meter to the house, and the price is set almost entirely by its length, its depth and what is on top of it.
Under a lawn it is at the bottom of the range. Under a driveway, a mature tree and the sidewalk, it is at the top.
What it costs
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Trenched replacement, per linear foot | $50 to $150 |
| Trenchless pull-through, per linear foot | $60 to $200 |
| Typical 60 foot run, trenched | $2,500 to $6,000 |
| Typical 60 foot run, trenchless | $2,000 to $5,000 |
| Permit and inspection | $100 to $600 |
| Restoring a driveway section | $500 to $3,000 |
| Restoring sidewalk, where the city requires it | $500 to $2,500 |
| Lawn and landscaping reinstatement | $200 to $1,500 |
| New shut-off valve and pressure reducing valve | $300 to $800 |
| Upsizing from 3/4 to 1 inch | usually no extra material cost |
Restoration is the row that moves. A trench across a block-paved drive costs more to put back than the pipe cost to install.
Why they fail
Galvanised steel, standard until about 1960, corrodes from the inside. The pipe narrows for years, giving progressively worse pressure, then leaks.
Polybutylene, common from 1978 to 1995, fails at the fittings and sometimes along its length.
Copper in aggressive soil develops pinholes from the outside in.
Lead, in houses and municipal connections predating the 1986 federal ban. This is not a pressure problem, it is a health one, and many utilities now run replacement programmes that cover part or all of the cost. Ask before you pay for it yourself.
Ground movement and tree roots, which crush or shear a line that was fine.
The symptoms
- Pressure that has fallen gradually over years at every fixture
- A wet patch or unusually green strip of lawn between the meter and the house
- Rusty or discoloured water first thing in the morning
- A water bill that stepped up without explanation
- The meter's leak indicator moving with the house main shut off
That last one is the definitive test. Shut the valve where the supply enters the house and watch the meter. If it still moves, the leak is in the buried line.
Trenched or trenchless
Trenched digs the whole run open. Cheapest per foot, worst for anything on the surface, and the only option if the old line has collapsed or the route is changing.
Trenchless pulls a new pipe through or behind the old one from pits at each end. Costs more per foot and far less in restoration, so on a run under a driveway it is usually the cheaper job overall. It needs the old line to be intact enough to follow.
Get both quoted. The right answer depends entirely on what is on top, and a contractor who only offers one method will recommend that one.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns which part of the line?
In most places the utility owns up to and including the meter, and the homeowner owns from the meter to the house. That means the expensive buried run is yours. It varies, and it is worth confirming with your utility before you spend anything.
Will insurance cover it?
Standard homeowners policies exclude buried service lines. Many insurers sell a service line endorsement for $30 to $80 a year, and many utilities offer a similar plan. On an older house with a long run, it is one of the few add-ons that pays.
Should I upsize while it is open?
If the existing line is 1/2 or 3/4 inch and the house has more than two bathrooms, yes. The larger pipe costs almost nothing extra when the trench is already dug, and it is the only chance you will get for thirty years.
How long does it take?
One to three days for the pipe. Restoration of concrete or paving is separate and can add a week or more, particularly if the city inspects the sidewalk work.
Is low pressure always the main?
No. Check a hose bib at the meter end with a $15 gauge first. If pressure is fine at the meter and poor inside, the problem is the interior pipework, a partly closed valve, or a failing pressure reducing valve, and those are much cheaper.
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