Arlington grew fast after World War II. It had 7,692 residents in 1950, about 160,000 by 1980 and more than 260,000 by 1990. Tens of thousands of homes were poured on slabs in a few decades, and those slabs now hold pipe that’s reaching the age when it starts to fail.
Looking for general plumbing help? See our plumbing services in Arlington, or compare slab leak repair across Dallas-Fort Worth.
Arlington’s building boom, and the pipe it left under the slab
U.S. Census (American Community Survey 2020–2024) data counts about 153,000 homes in Arlington. More were built in the 1980s (about 26%) than in any other decade, and about 45% were built between 1970 and 1989. The median Arlington home dates from 1986. About one in three homes predates 1980, and only about a quarter were built in 2000 or later.
Arlington plumbing by era
The GM-plant and Turnpike years
The General Motors plant opened in 1954, Lake Arlington filled in 1957, and the Dallas–Fort Worth Turnpike (now I-30) opened the same year. The brick homes built near downtown in this period are now 60–75 years old, and they often still have cast-iron drains and galvanized or early copper supply lines.
The boom: the heart of Arlington’s housing
Arlington’s population nearly tripled between 1970 and 1990. Most of these homes are slab-on-grade with copper supply lines cast under the concrete. That copper is now roughly 35–55 years old, the range when pinhole leaks start showing up.
Filling in the rest of the city
Almost a third of Arlington’s homes went up between 1990 and 2009. Homes from this period may have copper, CPVC or PEX supply lines. Leaks here more often start at fittings or where soil movement stresses a line than from old pipe wearing through.
Viridian and newer communities
Viridian, a 2,300-acre master-planned community in north Arlington near the Trinity River, has been building since 2011. Newer homes often sit on post-tension slabs with steel cables in the concrete, so the leak has to be pinpointed before anyone cuts.
Sand on the west side, clay on the east, and why both matter
Arlington is split by geology. The Handbook of Texas notes that early farmers came for the Blackland Prairie soil in the eastern part and the sandy loam in the western part. The west side sits on the Woodbine Formation of the Eastern Cross Timbers. That formation’s Arlington Member is named for a roadcut on West Park Row. The east side is Eagle Ford prairie, where the shale weathers into dark clay that contains bentonite.
- Big clay soils in the mix. USDA soil survey data shows Houston Black (about 10% of the city’s mapped land) and Heiden (about 9%) clays among Arlington’s largest soil types. Both are very high-swell clays that crack in drought and swell when wet, and both map mostly on the east side of the city.
- Nearly half the city rates high for shrink-swell. About 46% of the mapped land in Arlington has a soil layer rated high or very high for shrink-swell potential.
- Sandy on top doesn’t mean stable. Crosstell, one of the most common soils on the west side, has a fine sandy loam surface over a clay subsoil rated very high for shrink-swell. A yard can look sandy while the clay just below the surface moves the slab.
Every dry summer pulls moisture out of that clay, and every wet spell puts it back. Each cycle flexes the slab and the pipes cast in it. Once a line starts leaking, the extra water swells the clay under one part of the house or washes soil away from a drain, and the movement gets worse. Learn more about what causes slab leaks in DFW and Type L vs. Type M copper.
How do I know if I have a slab leak?
- A continuous-use alert from Arlington Water. If you have a remote-read meter, Arlington Water Utilities can email you when your meter records 3 gallons or more every hour for 48 hours straight. An under-slab leak is one of the things that can set it off.
- Hourly usage that never drops to zero overnight in the Know Your H2O portal or the Arlington Water app.
- A bill that jumped with no change in how you use water. See what causes a high water bill.
- A warm spot in the floor from a hot-water line under the slab.
- Hissing or trickling sounds in a wall or floor when nothing is running.
- New cracks, sticking doors or damp carpet along one part of the house.
- Sewer odor or repeat backups, which in older central Arlington homes can mean a broken cast-iron drain under the slab.
For more ways to check, see our guide to the signs of a slab leak.
How we handle an Arlington slab leak call
Isolate the line
We pressure-test the hot, cold and drain systems separately to learn which one is failing before we look for where.
Pinpoint it
Acoustic listening equipment and thermal imaging narrow the leak to a spot on the floor. Drain leaks get a sewer camera.
Price it in writing
You get a written estimate for each realistic option, and nothing starts until you approve.
Repair, re-test, document
A licensed master plumber makes the repair. We re-test the system and give you written documentation for Arlington Water and your insurer.
Read more about our leak detection services.
Which repair fits your Arlington home?
| Your situation | Usually the best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s slab, first pinhole leak in the copper | Spot repair | One targeted opening over a confirmed leak |
| 1970s–80s copper that has already leaked more than once | Reroute or repipe | Moves the water lines out of the slab instead of waiting for the next pinhole |
| Tile or wood floors you don’t want opened | Tunneling | Reaches the pipe from outside the foundation, so finished floors stay untouched |
| 1950s–60s home with cast-iron drains | Camera inspection, then sewer repair or replacement | Drain leaks don’t move the water meter and need to be seen first |
| Newer home on a post-tension slab | Precise location first, then the smallest repair possible | Cutting into a tensioned slab without knowing where the cables are is dangerous |
Every option comes with a written estimate before work begins, and plumbing financing is available for larger repairs and repipes.
Arlington Water Utilities: alerts, adjustments and who owns what
Requesting a leak adjustment
- Who: Arlington Water Utilities residential customers can request a billing adjustment for water used because of a leak.
- How often: one adjustment per 24-month period.
- Threshold: the usage in question has to be at least twice your normal consumption for the same billing period in previous years, and it must already have been billed.
- Exclusions: no adjustments for filling or refilling a swimming pool.
- Documentation: keep our written description of the leak and the repair with your request. Customer Care: 817-275-5931, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free help from the city. Arlington Water Utilities lists several free services: investigating high consumption when you ask, checking for leaks at the meter, a first meter-accuracy test, and turning off a residential customer’s water for repairs. If you suspect a main break or a leak at the street, call the 24-hour line at 817-459-5900.
Who owns which pipe? Under Arlington’s water and sewer ordinance, customers are responsible for water lost to leaks in pipe or plumbing on the customer side of the meter. The city owns and maintains the meter. On the sewer side, if the city determines that structural repair is needed, it will repair or replace a customer’s sewer service line where it runs in the public right-of-way or an easement. If our camera shows a break near the street, ask Arlington Water Utilities first.
Will homeowners insurance cover it?
It depends on the policy. Many Texas policies cover the water damage a slab leak causes, and some cover the cost of getting to the pipe, but most don’t pay to fix the pipe itself. Coverage for foundation movement is often limited or excluded. We photograph and document the leak and how we reached it, and we work directly with your adjuster.
Think you have a slab leak? Start here.
What to do today, in order:
- Check your hourly usage. If you have a remote-read meter, log in to Know Your H2O or the Arlington Water app and look at overnight hours. Steady use while everyone sleeps is a red flag.
- Do the meter test. Turn off every fixture, irrigation included, and watch the meter’s leak indicator. Here’s how to detect a hidden water leak.
- Water showing or a hot spot? Shut off the main. If it’s a hot-water line, turn off the water heater too.
- Save your bills and take photos. You’ll want them for an adjustment request and your insurer.
- Don’t let anyone break concrete to “look.” Locate first, then open only what’s needed.
Arlington neighborhoods we serve
We serve all of Arlington, ZIP codes 76001, 76002, 76006, 76010, 76011, 76012, 76013, 76014, 76015, 76016, 76017 and 76018. That covers north Arlington and Viridian near the Trinity River; downtown, UTA and the older neighborhoods off Abram Street; the Entertainment District around AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field and Six Flags Over Texas; west Arlington toward Lake Arlington; and south Arlington around The Parks Mall.
Whether you’re off I-30, along SH 360 or south of I-20, the first step is the same: find the leak before opening the floor.
Arlington slab leak FAQ
Why are slab leaks common in Arlington?
Timing and ground. About 45% of Arlington homes were built between 1970 and 1989, so much of the copper under Arlington slabs is now 35 to 55 years old. And nearly half the city’s mapped land has soil rated high or very high for shrink-swell, including Houston Black and Heiden clays that swell when wet and shrink in drought.
I got a continuous-use alert from Arlington Water. Is that a slab leak?
It might be. The alert means your remote-read meter recorded at least 3 gallons an hour for 48 hours straight. Check toilets, outdoor faucets and irrigation first. If everything is off and the meter still moves, a hidden leak such as a slab leak is likely, and it’s time for leak detection.
Will Arlington Water Utilities adjust my bill after a slab leak?
Possibly. Residential customers can request one leak adjustment per 24 months, and the usage has to be at least twice your normal consumption for the same billing period in previous years. Approval isn’t guaranteed. Call Customer Care at 817-275-5931 for the current process.
My west Arlington yard is sandy. Can I still get a slab leak from soil movement?
Yes. Crosstell, one of the most common west-side soils, has a sandy loam surface over a clay subsoil that swells and shrinks. And aging pipe can leak no matter what soil it sits in.
Who fixes a sewer line break near the street in Arlington?
If the city determines a structural repair is needed, Arlington Water Utilities will repair or replace a customer’s sewer service line where it runs in the public right-of-way or an easement. The line under and around your house is yours. A camera inspection shows where the break is.
Can you find the leak without tearing up my floors?
We pressure-test to isolate the failing line, use acoustic equipment and thermal imaging to pinpoint it, and use a sewer camera for drain leaks. Concrete is only opened over a confirmed leak. Often a reroute or tunnel avoids opening the floor inside at all.
Nearby, we also handle slab leaks in Fort Worth and Dallas.
