What the service line is
Water reaches your home from the city main in the street, through the meter in a box near the curb, and then along a buried service line to the house shutoff. In many older Fullerton neighborhoods that line is original galvanized or copper, sometimes run under a driveway or walkway.
Corrosion, tree roots wrapping or crushing the pipe, settling soil and digging for landscaping or fences are the usual reasons a yard line breaks.
Signs of a yard line break
- A soggy or unusually green strip of lawn in dry weather
- Water bubbling up through soil, a sidewalk joint or driveway crack
- A sinkhole or depression along the path from the meter to the house
- Water running in the gutter with no irrigation on
- Low pressure throughout the house
- The meter leak indicator moving with the house shutoff closed
Whose side is it on?
Responsibility usually splits at the meter. Confirm with the City of Fullerton if you are unsure.
- IfWater is coming up at or between the meter and the streetThenThis is usually the city water utility's side. Call the City of Fullerton water utility.
- IfWater is coming up between the meter and the houseThenThis is typically the homeowner's service line. Close the house shutoff and call a licensed plumber.
- IfThe meter box itself is flooded and you cannot tellThenCall the city utility; they can check the meter and the connection.
- IfClosing the house shutoff stops the leakThenThe break is downstream of the valve, inside the house or on an irrigation branch.
How a service line break is usually repaired
- Locate the break.The plumber traces the line and listens or tests to find the exact spot before digging.
- Excavate.A hole is dug to expose the pipe. Under concrete, that may mean cutting the slab or walkway.
- Repair or replace.A short break in sound pipe can be spliced. An old corroded line is often replaced end to end, sometimes by trenchless methods where they suit the site.
- Test and backfill.The repair is pressure-tested before the trench is filled and the surface restored.
Splice the break or replace the line?
Splice the broken spot
- Smaller dig
- Restores water fast
- Leaves the rest of the old line in the ground
Replace the whole service line
- Larger job, sometimes with trenchless options
- Removes an aging line in one go
- Ask whether a permit is needed; check with the city
Common questions
Can a tree root break a water line?
Roots can wrap around and crush a buried pipe or widen an existing leak, especially on older lines. Ask the plumber whether a reroute away from the tree makes sense.
Will the city shut off water at the meter for me?
Utilities often help in emergencies, but policies vary. Call the City of Fullerton water utility to ask.
Do I need to replace the whole line after one break?
Not always. If the pipe on either side is solid, a splice can be reasonable. If it is old galvanized or heavily corroded, replacement often saves repeated digging.
General information for Fullerton, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.