Water bubbling up near the street or the meter?
A break on the City’s side of the meter, or water coming up in the street, goes to Garland’s Control Center at 972-205-3210, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A leak between the meter and your house is on the owner’s side. That’s where we come in: (682) 284-0966.
Garland grew almost fourfold in the 1950s, from 10,571 residents to 38,501, and kept going through the 1970s. Most of its homes went up before 1980. The buried line from each meter to each house went in with the house, and unless someone has replaced it, it’s still there.
Is the leak under the foundation rather than the lawn? See slab leak repair in Garland. Pipe burst inside the house? See burst pipe repair in Garland.
Garland’s water and its buried service lines
Garland Water Utilities is owned by the City and buys all of its treated water from the North Texas Municipal Water District, then delivers it through about 1,850 miles of pipeline. The Census counts about 86,200 homes, with a median build year of 1978. The City has a Service Line Inventory Map where you can look up the recorded material of your line, and it says no lead lines have been found in Garland.
Garland yard lines by era
The original neighborhoods
About 11% of homes. Lines this old have often been replaced already. If yours hasn’t, expect it to need replacing rather than patching.
Garland’s boom years
About 44% of homes. These lines have spent 45 to 65 years in shrink-swell clay. A second leak on the same run is the usual sign it’s time to replace it.
The polybutylene years
Many homes from 1980 on fall in the window covered by the polybutylene class settlement, which included yard service lines installed from 1978 through mid-1995. Gray plastic at the meter is worth a look.
Firewheel and newer infill
These leaks are usually damage or a failed fitting, not old pipe: a fence post, a sprinkler install, or the connection at the house.
Garland draws the line at the meter
Garland’s water utility answers the ownership question directly: the City owns the service line from the water main up to the water meter, and the property owner owns it from the meter into the building. Garland’s utility code adds that the customer is responsible for all water flowing through the meter.
- Main break or a leak before the meter? That’s the City’s. Call the Control Center at 972-205-3210.
- Leak on the house side of the meter? That’s the owner’s line. A licensed plumber finds and repairs it.
- Got a letter about your service line material? Garland mailed customers whose lines are recorded as unknown or galvanized. The City says getting a letter doesn’t mean there’s lead in your water. Look up your address on the City’s Service Line Inventory Map.
- Not sure of the material? Garland says a scratch test helps: copper scratches to a penny color, and a magnet sticks to galvanized iron.
Test for a leak with your Garland meter
Garland’s Water Utilities describes two checks you can do yourself:
- Low-flow indicator. Turn off all water inside and out, including sprinklers and the ice maker, and watch the meter for several minutes. If the low-flow indicator moves, there may be a small, steady leak.
- Comparison reading. Photograph the meter register, use no water for a few hours, then photograph it again. If the number or the dial has moved, water is going somewhere.
- Other signs: a patch of yard that stays wet, a sunken spot along the line, lower pressure throughout the house, or a bill that jumped without any change in use.
How we repair a Garland water line
Confirm it’s your side
We check at the meter that the leak is downstream, on the owner’s line.
Pinpoint it
We isolate irrigation and the house, trace the line and locate the leak acoustically before digging.
Written price
You get upfront written pricing before any work starts, with a replacement price if the line is old, galvanized or polybutylene.
Permit, test, inspect
Line replacement is permitted through Garland Building Inspection. We pressure-test the new line and book the inspection.
Garland permits for water line work
How Building Inspection handles it
- Permits are issued for plumbing systems and repairs through Garland Building Inspection, 800 Main Street, 972-205-2300.
- Who can pull one: a homeowner who owns, lives in and has a homestead exemption on the home, or a state-licensed master plumber registered with the City of Garland.
- Inspections: an adult must be present when the inspector comes.
As Garland requires, Staggs Plumbing is registered with the City of Garland, and our master plumber pulls the permit when the work needs one.
Garland’s leak adjustment
Because the customer pays for all water through the meter, a yard leak can run up a big bill. Garland may credit part of the water charges once the leak is fixed:
- One adjustment is considered in a rolling 12-month period.
- Fix it first. Usage has to be back to normal or much lower before you apply.
- Send proof of repair with the Leak Adjustment Request Form: a plumber’s receipt, hardware receipts, insurance documents, or before-and-after photos.
- Apply within six months of the repair. Questions go to Garland Customer Service at 972-205-2671.
Where we find yard leaks in Garland
| Location | Typical repair | Why it happens |
|---|---|---|
| Just past the meter | Replace the fitting or first section | The meter connection takes movement and traffic |
| Mid-yard on a 1960s or 70s line | Spot repair, or replace the run if it’s leaked before | Decades of clay movement and roots |
| Galvanized line | Replace meter to house | Galvanized corrodes from the inside out |
| Gray polybutylene | Replace the whole line | Patching rarely stops the leaks |
| Where the line enters the house | Repair the connection and check the shutoff | The foundation and the yard move differently |
Yard leak in Garland? Start here.
In this order:
- Water in the street or before the meter? Call the Control Center, 972-205-3210.
- Shut off the water at the house shutoff if the leak is on your side and running hard.
- Turn off the sprinklers and do the low-flow indicator check at the meter.
- Photograph the meter reading and the wet area. It helps with the leak adjustment later.
- Call (682) 284-0966. We locate the leak, then you get upfront written pricing before any work starts.
Garland neighborhoods we serve
We repair water lines in every Garland ZIP code, 75040 through 75044 and the Garland part of 75048: around downtown and Duck Creek, the 1960s and 70s neighborhoods across the center of the city, Firewheel, and east toward Lake Ray Hubbard.
Crews come from our Plano headquarters to the northwest or our Rockwall branch to the east.
Garland water line questions
Who owns the water line to my house in Garland?
The City owns the service line from the water main up to the meter. The property owner owns the line from the meter into the building, so a leak on that section is the owner’s to repair.
Who supplies Garland’s water?
Garland Water Utilities, which is owned by the City, buys all of its treated water from the North Texas Municipal Water District. Some listings name Lake Ray Hubbard, but Garland’s treated water comes from NTMWD.
How do I check for a leak at my Garland meter?
Turn off all water inside and out and watch the meter’s low-flow indicator for several minutes. Or photograph the reading, use no water for a few hours, and compare. Movement in either test points to a leak.
Will Garland adjust my bill for a leak?
Garland may credit part of the water charges after the leak is repaired and usage is back to normal. Submit the request form with proof of repair within six months. One adjustment is considered in a rolling 12-month period.
What does a Garland water line repair cost?
Pricing is upfront and in writing before any work starts. When the line is galvanized, polybutylene or has leaked before, we price replacement too. Financing is available.
