What to do right now if the line is leaking
Shut off the main valve inside the house and see whether the problem stops. If water is still showing in the yard, a wet basement wall or a muddy patch near the street, the leak is on the buried line and indoor valves cannot help.
Look at the meter. If the dial keeps moving with every fixture off, water is escaping somewhere between the meter and your fixtures, or on the street side of it. Call the 24/7 line and tell us what the meter shows. An emergency crew can be sent when water is surfacing, and a slow leak can often be booked for the next appointment.
Who is responsible for which part of the line
Cleveland Water side
- The water main in the street
- The service line from the main up to and including the curb stop
- Main breaks and street-side leaks
- Lead line replacement work done with main repairs or through its program
Homeowner side
- The line from the curb stop inward to the house
- The line to the meter and the meter connection
- Indoor plumbing and valves
- Frozen meters and thawing
Where Cleveland Water stops and you start
Maple Heights homes are served by Cleveland Water. Its published freeze guidance says the utility is responsible for the main and the service line up to and including the curb stop. The customer is responsible from the curb stop inward, including the line to the meter, indoor plumbing and frozen meters.
That boundary decides who gets the first call. If you can hear or see water at the curb stop or in the street, report it to Cleveland Water. If the failure is between the curb stop and your foundation, it is yours to fix, and we can handle it.
Source type: Utility guidance pageSigns the buried water line has failed
Most service line failures show up as a symptom inside the house first. These are the ones that callers describe most often.
Meter runs with everything off
Shut every tap, appliance and hose bib, then watch the low-flow dial. Movement means water is leaving the system.
Low pressure at every fixture
A partial break lets the line leak into the soil, so pressure drops in the whole house instead of one faucet.
Soggy ground in a dry stretch
A soft patch between the street and the house, or green grass in a dry week, often sits right over the leak.
Wet basement wall near the entry
Where the line comes through the foundation, a leak can seep along the pipe and show up as damp block.
Bills climbing for no reason
A pinhole in an old steel or copper line costs money for months before anyone sees water.
No water at all
A fully separated or frozen line gives no flow. Check the meter valve, then call us before digging.
Meter spinning or no water?
Call the 24/7 line. We will walk through the quick checks and send a plumber if the line needs repair.
What the meter and the yard tell us
| What you see | Likely location | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Water in the street or at the curb box. | Main or service line on the utility side. | Report it to Cleveland Water, then call us if your side is also wet. |
| Meter runs, no wet spot outside. | Indoor leak or a hidden section of the line. | Trace with a leak detection visit before digging. |
| Wet ground between curb and house. | Buried line on the homeowner side. | Locate the break, then repair or replace the section. |
| Burst or frozen line in cold weather. | Line near the foundation or the meter. | Thaw or repair, see burst pipe repair. |
How a water line repair goes
Pinpoint the failure
We test pressure and listen along the line so the trench opens at the break and not ten feet away.
Call 811 before digging
OHIO811 is free, homeowners can use it, and it asks for at least two working days of notice before excavation.
Repair or replace the section
A short failed run is often cut out and replaced. A line with several weak points is better replaced from the curb stop to the house.
Test, restore and explain
We pressure test the new run, check the meter for a stopped dial and tell you what we found in the old pipe.
Older lines and lead in Maple Heights
About 68 percent of the housing in Maple Heights was built before 1960, based on older survey data, so many service lines are decades old. Cleveland Water notes that some homes still have lead service lines, and it offers an address lookup called the Service Line Inventory on its website.
That matters if your repair is a full replacement. Check the inventory for your address before the trench is dug, and ask Cleveland Water whether your line falls under its replacement program. A coordinated job can save you from paying to replace the same pipe twice.
What changes the cost of a water line repair
No two lines fail the same way, so we give you a clear price after we see the problem. These are the factors that move it.
Many homeowner policies treat a sudden break differently from slow wear. Photograph the damage and ask your insurer what is covered before you file.
A note on meters and gas lines
Callers sometimes ask about meters and gas piping in the same breath. We handle the water side only, which means the water service line, the meter connection and the valves inside your home. Gas piping is a separate trade and this page does not cover it.
If you smell gas, leave the building and call 911 and your gas utility from outside. Do not turn lights or switches on or off on your way out.
What you can do before we arrive
Find your main shutoff and make sure it turns. Take a photo of the meter dial and the wet area so we can compare readings later. Move furniture and stored boxes away from any basement wall where the line enters.
Do not dig yourself over a buried line without calling 811 first. Keep kids and pets away from soft ground, because a long leak can undercut a sidewalk or a step.
Nearby towns we cover
We take water line calls in Maple Heights and in Garfield Heights, Warrensville Heights and Bedford. Bedford buys its water from Cleveland and runs its own city water department, so who owns a given section of line can differ there. Give us your address and we will sort out the boundary on the phone.
Water service work is done to the Ohio Plumbing Code, OAC 4101:3, and any trench starts with a call to OHIO811 at least two working days ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The 24/7 line answers day and night, and a plumber can be sent when water is surfacing or the house has lost supply.
Cleveland Water covers the main and the service line up to and including the curb stop. You cover the line from the curb stop inward, and we can repair that part.
Turn off every fixture and appliance, then watch the low-flow dial for a few minutes. If it keeps moving, water is escaping somewhere on the system.
Yes, for any digging. OHIO811 is free and asks for notice of at least two working days, so book the call as soon as you know a trench is needed.
We can look at the pipe when it is exposed. Cleveland Water also offers a Service Line Inventory lookup by address on its website.
Yes. You get a clear price once we see the problem, and we explain what could change it before any work begins.