Underground Water Line Leak Detection & Repair

What counts as an underground water leak?

Most underground leaks are in the service line: the pressurized pipe from the water meter, usually near the street, to where the water enters your house. Because it’s always under pressure, a leak here runs 24 hours a day, even when nobody is using water.

Sprinkler lines are also buried, but they’re a separate system. If the leak is in your irrigation, see irrigation leak detection.

Signs you may need underground water leak detection

• A patch of lawn that stays soggy, sunken or unusually green
• Water pooling near the meter or where the line enters the house
• Low water pressure throughout the house
• Muddy water or air sputtering from the taps
• A water meter that moves with everything off
• A higher water bill with no change in use

Common causes

• Freeze–thaw cycles and frost movement in central Indiana winters
• Tree roots pressing on or wrapping the line
• Age and corrosion in older galvanized or copper lines
• Failed fittings on plastic lines
• Soil settling, or vehicles over a shallow line

How we locate it

1. Shutoff testWith the main shutoff closed, a moving meter proves the leak is outside the house.
2. Line locationWe trace the path of the pipe from the meter to the house.
3. Acoustic listeningA ground microphone is moved along the line to find where the leak noise is loudest.
4. Leak noise correlator (when access allows)Sensors at two points on the pipe calculate the leak’s position.
5. Tracer gas (plastic pipe)A safe hydrogen/nitrogen mix rises through the soil at the leak on lines that are hard to hear.

Want the details? Read how professional leak detection works.

Who is responsible for the line?

In most areas, the homeowner owns the line from the meter to the house and the water utility owns the meter and the line up to it. If the leak looks like it’s at or near the meter, contact your water utility first. Rules vary, so confirm with your provider.

What to do before we arrive

• Turn off all water, close the main shutoff and watch the meter for 15–30 minutes.
• If you have sprinklers, close the irrigation valve too, so an irrigation leak doesn’t look like a service line leak.
• Note any soggy, sunken or greener patches between the meter and the house.

After we find the leak

We mark the leak with a flag or paint and give you photos and notes. Our plumbing partner digs one small hole at the marked spot and makes the repair, or we hand the spot to your own plumber.

If the line is old and leaks keep appearing, replacing the whole line can make more sense than spot repairs. Once the leak is found, our plumbing partner can quote both options.

What affects the cost

The cost depends on the length and depth of the line, the pipe material, and what’s above it: lawn, driveway or landscaping. Detection and repair are quoted separately, and we can arrange both through our plumbing partner. See what affects leak detection cost, or call for a quote for your home.

Where we offer underground water leak detection

We’re based in Bargersville and provide underground water leak detection across Johnson County and nearby towns: Bargersville, Greenwood, Franklin, Center Grove, Whiteland & New Whiteland, Trafalgar, Nineveh & Prince’s Lakes, Morgantown and Southport & Perry Township.

Town pages for this service: Water Line Leak Detection in Greenwood, Water Line Repair & Replacement in Greenwood, Water Line Leak Detection in Franklin, Water Line Repair & Replacement in Franklin, Water Line Leak Detection in Center Grove and Water Line Repair in Center Grove.

Frequently asked questions