Wet meter box? Call the City first. It costs nothing to ask.
Richardson’s signs of a leaking meter are water standing in the meter box, water coming out of it, or saturated ground around it. Report it to the 24/7 Response Center at 972-744-4111, and the City will check that the leak isn’t on its side. If the City finds it’s on your side, call us at (682) 284-0966 to locate and repair it.
Richardson’s assistant director of public services described the process in a 2019 Richardson Today story. If you suspect a leak, for example in a leaky meter box, call the City and it will make sure the leak isn’t on the City’s side of the service. If the leak is on the customer’s side, call a plumber to locate and repair it. That’s where we come in.
Leak under the slab instead of the yard? See slab leak repair in Richardson. A pipe burst inside the house? See burst pipe repair in Richardson.
Richardson’s water and its older yard lines
Richardson has bought its water from the North Texas Municipal Water District since 1965, and the City’s water utility delivers it. Census data (ACS 2020–2024) counts about 48,000 homes, and about 44% were built before 1980. In many of those homes, the buried line from the meter to the house has been in the ground for 45 years or more unless it’s been replaced.
Richardson yard lines by era
Postwar additions
About 7% of homes, in neighborhoods such as Richardson Heights. A yard line this old may already have been replaced once. If it hasn’t, it’s near the end of its life.
The city’s biggest building years
Roughly 37% of homes. These lines have had 45 to 65 years of tree roots and shifting clay. Repeat leaks on the same line usually mean it’s time to replace it rather than patch it again.
Telecom Corridor homes
About 25% of homes. These were built during the polybutylene years: a class settlement covered gray polybutylene plumbing, yard service lines included, installed from 1978 through mid-1995. If yours is gray plastic, have it looked at.
Newer and infill homes
About 31% of homes. Damage causes more of these leaks than age does: a fence post, an irrigation install, or a fitting at the house that shifted with the soil.
The City’s side, your side, and how Richardson sorts it out
Richardson’s water crews start at the meter. Water standing in or coming out of the meter box, or saturated ground around it, should be reported to the Response Center. The City checks that the leak isn’t on its side of the service. When the leak is on the customer’s side, the City says to call a plumber to locate and repair it.
- Low pressure everywhere in the house? Report it to 972-744-4111 and a Utilities crew member checks the pressure supplied at the meter.
- Low pressure at just a few faucets? Richardson says that usually means a problem inside the house, which is the homeowner’s to fix.
- Water seeping from cracks in the street or the curb line? That can be a City main break. Report it to 972-744-4111.
- Digging? The City locates its water and sewer mains if you call the Response Center. Texas 811 handles the other utilities. Your private water line isn’t marked by either, so we trace it ourselves.
Signs of a leak between the meter and the house
- A soggy patch or puddle along the path from the meter to the house that doesn’t dry out.
- The meter keeps registering with all fixtures and irrigation turned off.
- Pressure drops throughout the house after the City has confirmed normal pressure at the meter.
- A higher water bill with no change in use.
- Sinking soil or a sunken spot along the line where water has washed soil away.
How we repair a Richardson water line
City check first
If you haven’t already, we have you report the meter box to 972-744-4111 so you don’t pay for a City-side leak.
Find the leak
We isolate the house and irrigation, trace the line and pinpoint the leak acoustically.
Upfront written pricing
You get the price in writing before any work starts. If the line has leaked before or is polybutylene, we also price a full replacement.
Permit, test, inspect
We pull the City of Richardson permit, pressure-test the repair or new line and schedule the inspection.
Richardson permits for water line work
What Richardson asks of the contractor
- Online permits cover plumbing repairs and replacements, and most must be pulled by a licensed contractor.
- City registration has to be current before Richardson issues the contractor a permit.
- Inspections run in scheduled daily windows, and results are posted online.
- Building Inspection: 972-744-4180.
As Richardson requires, Staggs Plumbing is registered with the City of Richardson and pulls the permit for every water line repair or replacement itself.
Where we find yard leaks in Richardson
| Location | Typical repair | Why it happens |
|---|---|---|
| Just past the meter, on the customer side | Replace the fitting or first section of pipe | Movement at the meter connection loosens joints |
| Under the lawn along an older line | Open one spot and repair, or replace the run | Older pipe and decades of roots and shifting clay |
| Under a driveway or walk | Reroute around the concrete when that’s practical | Avoids breaking out and replacing concrete |
| At the house where the line comes up | Repair the connection and check the main shutoff | The joint at the foundation takes stress as the soil moves |
| Gray polybutylene line | Replace the whole line from meter to house | Patching one spot rarely ends the leaks |
Yard or meter leak in Richardson? Start here.
In this order:
- Look at the meter box. Water standing in it, coming out of it, or soaking the ground around it? Report it to the Response Center at 972-744-4111.
- Shut the water off at your home’s main shutoff if the leak is on your side and water is running freely.
- Turn off irrigation so you can tell whether the sprinklers are the source.
- Note when the leak started and take photos. They help with the repair and with your records.
- Call us at (682) 284-0966. We locate the leak and give you upfront written pricing before any work starts.
Richardson neighborhoods we serve
We fix yard leaks in all four Richardson ZIP codes, 75080, 75081, 75082 and 75083, on both the Dallas County and Collin County sides of the city.
We’re based in Plano, just across Richardson’s northern city limit.
Richardson water line questions
Who fixes a water leak at my meter in Richardson?
Report it to the City’s 24/7 Response Center at 972-744-4111. Signs of a leaking meter include water standing in the meter box, coming out of it, or saturated ground around it. The City checks that the leak isn’t on its side. If it’s on the customer’s side, call a plumber.
My water pressure is low. Is that the City or me?
If pressure is low throughout the house, report it to 972-744-4111 and a Utilities crew member will check the pressure at the meter. If it’s low only at certain faucets, Richardson says that usually points to a problem inside the house.
Who supplies Richardson’s water?
Richardson buys treated water from the North Texas Municipal Water District under a contract that dates to 1965, and Richardson’s own water utility delivers it. Some older listings say Dallas Water Utilities, but that’s not Richardson’s supplier.
Do I need a permit to repair or replace a water line in Richardson?
Plumbing repairs and replacements are permitted through Richardson’s online permit system, and most permits must be pulled by a licensed contractor whose City registration is current. Staggs pulls it and books the inspection.
What will a Richardson water line repair cost?
You get upfront written pricing before any work starts, including a replacement price when the line is old or has leaked before. Financing is available.
