Shut off the water at your home's main valve. If water keeps flowing, call your water utility to shut it off at the meter. Don't dig until Arizona 811 has marked the buried utilities, which takes two full working days. Photograph the damage, then have a licensed plumber locate the break and repair the line.
How to tell it's a broken line
Signs a buried line has broken include water pooling or bubbling in the yard with the irrigation off, a sunken or soft patch, a meter that runs with every fixture off and a sudden drop in water pressure. Phoenix Water Services says "soggy ground or sinkholes can be evidence of underground line leaks." If you're seeing several of these, treat it as a line break and follow the steps below. The meter test is how you confirm it.
Why not wait? Small holes waste more water than most people expect. EPA says an irrigation system with a leak "1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month," and a broken pressurized line leaks around the clock. The water also washes soil out from under walkways, patios and slabs, which turns a pipe repair into a repair of everything above it. And you pay for every gallon on your bill.
Is it an emergency? Yes, when water is flowing that you can't stop, when it's pooling against the house or under the slab, or when the ground is caving in. Shut off the water and get help now. If the flow stops when you close the main and the yard is only damp, it can wait for the next business day, but don't leave the water off for days if you can get someone out.
Step 1: Stop the water
Close your home's main shutoff valve. In most Valley homes it's near the front of the house, often by the hose bib. Chandler's guide says the home's valve "is usually located under the outside faucet near the front of the house." If you can't find yours, see how to find your main water shutoff.
Then check the wet spot. If the water keeps flowing with your valve closed, the break is between the meter and that valve, which means closing your valve doesn't stop it. Call your water utility and ask them to shut the water off at the meter. In Phoenix, the City's emergency number is 602-261-8000; it's for cases where an issue "requires field staff to turn off your water due to a leak." In other cities, call the water department's emergency line.
If the water is off and you're waiting, plan for a day or two without running water. Fill a few containers for drinking and flushing before you close the main if you can, and let the household know. That's the practical cost of a shutoff, and it's better than a running line.
Step 2: Find out whose pipe it is
Where the break is decides who fixes it. The City of Phoenix says: "Issues on the city's side (from the street to the water meter) are the responsibility of the City and issues after the water meter are the responsibility of the homeowner." So a break between the meter and your house is yours to repair. A leak at the meter itself, or between the meter and the street, belongs to the city; report it to the water department. Other cities draw the line in similar places, but confirm with yours. For the sewer side, see who is responsible for the sewer line in Phoenix.
Not sure it's a water line at all? A wet lawn can be a sprinkler leak, a pool line or drainage. Is a wet lawn a sign of a broken water line? shows how to test it with the meter.
Step 3: Don't dig yet
It's tempting to grab a shovel. Don't. Arizona 811 says "Arizona law requires you to notify Arizona 811 at least two full working days before you start any project," and that applies to renters and owners alike. Contacting them is free. Utilities such as gas, electric and telecom lines run near water lines, and hitting one can cause serious injury.
Two things to know. First, Arizona 811 says utility companies "mark only what they own and operate up to their point of sale, which is typically to the meter." Your own buried lines, such as a pool line, a gas line to a grill or an irrigation line, may need a private locator. Second, if you do hit something, Arizona 811 says: "stop digging." Call 911 if there's any risk, and never try to fix a damaged utility yourself.
Ask your plumber who files the locate ticket. With the water off, the two-day wait is inconvenient but not dangerous. For the depths Phoenix requires over city mains and at the meter, see how deep a residential water main is buried in Phoenix.
Step 4: Repair, document and hire
What the repair looks like. A plumber locates the break, exposes the pipe, and either repairs that section or replaces the run. The new line is pressure-tested before it's backfilled, and the water is turned back on. The EPA's steps for a pipe replacement include "pressure-test the pipe" and then "tie the pipe into the existing system." Ask whether the plumber will repair the one break or recommend replacing the whole line; an old line with one failure may have others coming. See what a main water line is and when it's replaced, and trenchless water line replacement if you want to limit digging.
Document it. Take photos of the wet area, the meter, your meter reading and any damage to landscaping or hardscape. If the leak has damaged your home or belongings, see how to file a water damage insurance claim. Photos help whether or not the claim goes anywhere.
Hiring the plumber. Most water line repairs are contractor work in Arizona. The Registrar of Contractors says that if "the entire cost of the project, including labor and materials is over $1,000 or requires a permit by the local municipality," you need a licensed contractor. Before you hire anyone, ask for their ROC license number and look it up. If you're wondering whether the whole line has reached the end of its life, see what a main water line is and when it's replaced. See why licensed, bonded and insured matters.
Tell the plumber what you already know: when you first noticed the wet spot, what the meter did with everything off, and where the main valve is. That speeds up the search and cuts the time spent digging in the wrong place.
Ask the plumber:
- How will you find the break, and can you pinpoint it before digging?
- Is a spot repair enough, or does the whole line need replacing?
- Can the line be replaced without trenching the whole yard? (See trenchless water line replacement.)
- Who pulls any permit and files the 811 ticket?
- What does the estimate include, including restoring the yard?
Where HQ fits. HQ Plumbing & Air repairs water lines and shutoff valves for Valley homes and finds hidden leaks with electronic leak detection, so the digging is targeted. We're licensed and insured, we give free estimates, and you see the price up front before work starts. If water is running and you can't stop it, that's an emergency and we take those calls 24/7. When you call, tell us where the water is coming from and whether your main valve stops it, and we'll take it from there.