I'm convinced that most Americans take water for granted.
As a water district leader, I have received several phone calls that convinced me that many people don't understand how water gets to their house or where it comes from. It surprises me how many people apparently don't look at their water bills.
There are a few people that don't care if their house has a leak. Moreover, if their service line is leaking, they think it is the water district's problem. Do you know who owns the water line to your house? You do.
Let me be more specific. The water line that brings water into your house is called the "service line". It is different from the "water main" which is owned by the water district. Water mains are bigger and move lots of water down the street to supply all the houses or condos or businesses. The water main has many connections, and the service line to your house is one of those connections. The Snake River Water District conducts business according to its Rules and Regulations, which define the service line as beginning at the water main. A service line can be partially in the street. So, if the pipe under the street springs a leak, it may or may not be the water district's problem. If the leak is in the water main, then the district will pay to have an excavator dig it up and repair the pipe.
What if the leaky pipe under the street is a service line? Then it is the responsibility of the homeowner to have a qualified company dig it up and repair it. My understanding is that probably 90% of homeowners don't know that.
Occasionally, our Superintendent of Water Operations detects a leak under a street that is determined to be in the service line. How? Well, usually by getting into the house and listening - sometimes with specialized equipment. Sometimes, the leak is close to the water main, and nobody can tell if the leak is in the service line or the main until a big hole exposes the pipe (about 9-10 feet underground). It is understandable that a homeowner would be disappointed or upset when finding out that the leak is under the street in his or her service line, and the cost of repair is $15,000. It's understandable that they want someone else to pay for it. But, the responsibility comes along with the privilege of tapping into the water system. And as undesirable and unfortunate as the situation may be, a service line is owned by the homeowner just like they own the kitchen. The service line is an asset of the home.
So, please be aware that as a water customer you have responsibilities. Fixing leaks is something you should take seriously. Sometimes the leak is a very small drip in a faucet. Sometimes an outside sprinkler irrigation system has a pipe break and loses thousands of gallons of water. Sometimes a toilet has a slow leak around the flapper. Sometimes a toilet (unknowingly) has a flapper stuck wide open.
I think I will create a different post to talk about the smaller inside leaks, so let's bring this article to a close:
- Homeowners own the service line.
- Homeowners are responsible for maintaining and repairing a service line.
- Service line responsibility does not begin at your property line.
- Copper pipes underground will eventually leak.
At Snake River Water District, we invest hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to maintain the water system. Some water mains require repair every year. Our capital investment plan currently has an annual investment of $1.7 million to proactively replace old water mains and hydrants that are high risk of failure. We will take care of the big pipes. You, our customers, will take care of the little pipes. If you have questions, please call me at our office.
Scott Price
Executive Director