The city program
What a lead line program means for your house
Cities that run one work through a list of addresses, a few streets at a time. If yours is on it, the utility can schedule the street side and you handle the house side, often at the same time.
Ask the utility, then call us
Ask the utility if your address is on the list
Ask what the program covers on your side of the curb valve
Ask about any forms or deadlines
Bring us the answers and we write a price around them
The city program
How the city program and our crew fit together
Programs differ from city to city. This is the usual path, and we read your city's rules with you.
Step 1: Your address comes up
The city water utility keeps a list of addresses with a lead or unknown service line. If you are on it, you hear from the utility, or you can ask.
Program rules and who pays differ by city
Step 2: We locate, permit and schedule
We find the line, call 811 to mark buried utilities, pull the permit and agree a date with you and the utility.
You sign off on the written price before a date is set
Step 3: One dig, the whole line
Where the program allows, we replace the line from the main to your meter in one visit, so no lead pipe is left in the middle.
Your water is off for part of the day
Step 4: Flush, check and restore
We flush the new line, check pressure at the tap and put back soil, sod and the sidewalk square. You get a written record of what was replaced.
The utility closes out its list
Who does what
The utility, you and us
Ownership of the line differs by city. This is a common split, and we confirm it for your address.
The city water utility
Owns the main and often the pipe to the curb valve. Keeps the list of lead and unknown lines and sets the program's rules.
You, the homeowner
Often own the pipe from the curb valve to the house. You choose the contractor, sign the price and give access to the yard and the basement.
Belle City Water Line
Locates, permits, digs, connects, flushes and restores. We talk to the utility so you don't have to carry messages between us.
Program rules, who pays and any forms change. Your utility's own program page is the source.
City program questions
Who owns which part of the service line?
It depends on the city. In many places the utility owns the pipe from the main to the curb valve and the homeowner owns the rest to the house. Your utility can tell you for your address, and we confirm it before we write a price.
Can you replace just my side?
Sometimes that is all a program allows. Replacing only part of a lead line can stir up lead for a while afterward, so where we can, we replace the whole line in one visit. When only one side is possible, we tell you what to do after: run the cold tap, and ask the utility about testing.
Do you pull the permits?
Yes. We pull the plumbing permit, call 811 before digging and book the inspection. If a street opening is needed, we handle that application too.
How long does it take, and is my water off?
A water service replacement is usually a day of digging, sometimes two, and your water is off for part of that day. A sewer lateral takes longer. We give you your dates when we schedule, and we tell you when to fill a few jugs.
Not sure if you are in the program?
Call with your street address and we will help you ask the right questions.