Water Line Repair & Installation · Mcdonough, GA
Water line repair and installation in McDonough, Georgia, on the owner's side of the city water meter.
- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
- Residential & commercial
- Local shop in Oxford, GA
Get a free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620The short answer
Water line repair and installation in McDonough, GA
The City of McDonough maintains water lines up to the meter; the pipe from the meter to your house, and finding its leaks, belongs to you. Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions locates the leak, repairs or replaces that service line, adds the required private shutoff, and restores the yard. Call (678) 863-5620 for a free on-site estimate.↗↗
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
At a glance
- County seat
- McDonough
Who owns what
The meter is the dividing line
City of McDonoughmain
City runs its service line from the distribution main to your property line↗
Where the line sits: Property line (§ 13.04.130)
City of McDonoughwater service line
City maintains and repairs lines to the meter; owner handles everything on the property side, including leak detection↗
Where the line sits: Meter (§ 13.04.330)
Henry County Water Authoritywater service line
HCWA holds the customer responsible for plumbing on the customer's side of the meter↗
Where the line sits: Meter
Where the meter sits varies: the city may place it at or near the property line or up to three feet inside your lot.↗
Warning signs
How a hidden service-line leak shows up
Seeing two or more of these? Call before it gets worse.
- 1. The meter's flow 'Rate' shows movement with every fixture and the irrigation off
- 2. A bill jump with no change in household use
- 3. A wet or sunken spot between the meter box and the house
- 4. Low pressure throughout the house after a recent dig or a freeze
- 5. Water running at a faucet even though the main shutoff is closed
The Mcdonough story
A 68-mile system with a short handoff
McDonough's distribution crew looks after 68 miles of main, hundreds of hydrants and more than a thousand valves. It sets meters and fixes leaks, but only on the city's side. The last stretch, from the meter to your wall, is private.↗
The code also asks owners to keep a private cut-off valve on the house side of the meter. Many homes have one buried or seized. We replace it whenever we open the line, so the next repair does not require a call to the city just to shut water off.↗
More about Mcdonough
Pressure, backflow and newer homes
McDonough requires backflow devices on every commercial and industrial property, on homes built after 2001, and wherever the city rehabilitates older water lines. A backflow device seals the house's water in, so heated water has nowhere to expand.↗
That is why the code calls for an expansion tank or relief valve on those systems, keeping static pressure at or below 80 psi at every fixture. When we replace a service line on a newer house, we check that this equipment is present and working.↗
McDonough requires backflow devices on every commercial and industrial property, on homes built after 2001, and wherever the city rehabilitates older water lines.
What it costs
Water line costs and city charges
Main water line replacement, average total
$2,000–$5,000
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Water Line Replacement Cost? (updated December 2025), 2025
Trenchless water line replacement
$70–$250 per linear foot
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Water Line Replacement Cost? (updated December 2025), 2025
Main shutoff valve replacement
$250–$600
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Water Line Replacement Cost? (updated December 2025), 2025
Pressure regulator replacement
$150–$350
Typical market range — HomeGuide — How Much Does Water Line Replacement Cost? (updated December 2025), 2025
New McDonough water tap, 3/4-inch (connection fee)
$1,821.23 plus tap-on
Typical market range — McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.070 Connection fees (Municode, Supp. 15)
What moves the price
These are third-party typical market ranges, not our prices. Every job is quoted after we see it — estimates are free.
Free estimate: (678) 863-5620- 01Distance from the meter to where the line enters the house
- 02Driveway, walkway or mature landscaping in the path
- 03Whether the shutoff valve and regulator also need replacing
- 04A 1-inch line for larger homes or irrigation
Local facts
New service connections in McDonough
Each row links to the agency, code or publisher it comes from. Tap a source to check it yourself.
| Topic | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Water connection fee | $1,821.23 for 3/4 inch; $3,036.00 for 1 inch; plus a tap-on fee for meter and labor | McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.070 Connection fees (Municode, Supp. 15) |
| Meter placement | At or near the property line, or within three feet inside it | McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.140 Meter installation location (Municode, Supp. 15) |
| Who owns what | City lines up to the meter; every pipe and every leak on the property side belongs to the owner | McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.330 Leak adjustments (Municode, Supp. 15) |
| City-built service line | Run by the city from its main to your property line where the main is alongside the lot | McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.130 (Municode, Supp. 15) |
| Timing for new construction | Apply at least two weeks before the certificate of occupancy; the department has two weeks to set the meter | McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.070 Connection fees (Municode, Supp. 15) |
More about Mcdonough
Our process, house or storefront
We confirm the leak is on your side with the meter test, then trace the line and dig at the fault. Short damage gets a repair coupling; an old or repeatedly failing line gets replaced end to end, with a new shutoff at the meter side.
Commercial buildings add a testable backflow assembly that a certified tester must check periodically under the city program, plus larger pipe. We schedule those shutoffs around business hours.↗
We confirm the leak is on your side with the meter test, then trace the line and dig at the fault.
FAQ
McDonough water line questions
Straight answers, with the rule or record behind them. Still unsure? Call and ask the crew that digs.
(678) 863-5620Does the City of McDonough fix leaks between the meter and my house?
No. Section 13.04.330 says the city maintains lines to the meter, while locating and repairing leaks on the property side is the owner's job. The city is not responsible for the cost of finding the leak either.
Source: McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.330 Leak adjustments (Municode, Supp. 15)
Can I get a credit on my McDonough bill after a leak?
Possibly. The same section lets the city make reasonable adjustments for exorbitant water and sewer bills caused by leaks, weighing the cause of the loss. Keep your repair invoice.
Source: McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.330 Leak adjustments (Municode, Supp. 15)
How do I check for a leak at my McDonough meter?
Turn off every fixture and the irrigation, shine a flashlight on the meter's screen to wake it, and see whether a flow rate appears. The city's leak page walks through the steps.
Do I need a backflow preventer on my house?
If the home was built after 2001, yes, along with thermal expansion protection. Commercial and industrial properties always need one. Older homes may need one if the city rehabs their water line.
What does a new water tap cost in McDonough?
The code's connection fee is $1,821.23 for a 3/4-inch tap and $3,036.00 for 1-inch, plus a tap-on charge the Water Department sets for the meter and labor.
Source: McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.070 Connection fees (Municode, Supp. 15)
How much does it cost to replace the main water line to a house?
HomeGuide's national average is $2,000 to $5,000, with trenchless methods at $70 to $250 per foot. Length and what is in the way set the real number.
Source: HomeGuide — How Much Does Water Line Replacement Cost? (updated December 2025)
Who is digging in your yard
Our company is listed as a certified septic installer on Georgia DPH's September 18, 2026 roster. It is a septic credential, but it names the same crew that trenches your water line.
Nearby areas
Water line work around McDonough
Sources
Where these facts come from
Rules, costs and local facts on this page link to the agency, code or publisher that states them. Cost figures are third-party market ranges, not our prices — estimates are free.
Reviewed by Atlanta Water & Sewage Solutions · Last updated
- 1McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.330 Leak adjustments (Municode, Supp. 15)
- 2McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.190 Private cut-off valve required (Municode, Supp. 15)
- 3McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.130 (Municode, Supp. 15)
- 4Henry County Water Authority - Leak Information
- 5McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.140 Meter installation location (Municode, Supp. 15)
- 6City of McDonough - Water Distribution & Sewer Collection
- 7City of McDonough - Backflow Prevention
- 8McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.05.090 Thermal expansion devices (Municode, Supp. 15)
- 9HomeGuide — How Much Does Water Line Replacement Cost? (updated December 2025)
- 10McDonough, GA Code of Ordinances § 13.04.070 Connection fees (Municode, Supp. 15)
- 11City of McDonough - How to Detect Water Leaks
- 12Georgia DPH Certified Septic Tank Installer Companies list (9/18/2026)
Ready when you are
Meter spinning with everything off? THE LEAK IS PROBABLY OURS TO FIND.
Tell us your McDonough address and what the meter shows. We will trace the line, fix or replace it and give you a free estimate before we dig.
(678) 863-5620- Georgia DPH-certified installer & pumper
- Residential & commercial
- Oxford, GA
Free estimate
or call (678) 863-5620