Home / Water Line & Leak Repair
Slab leaks · Broken service lines · Low pressure
A water bill that jumped, a wet spot in the yard, low pressure or a warm patch on the floor usually means a leak in the water line or under the slab. Call (205) 000-0000 and we’ll connect you with a licensed Tuscaloosa plumber who can find the leak without tearing up more than needed and repair or replace the line.
Who fixes what
It depends on which side of the meter the leak is on. Your water provider is generally responsible for its main and its equipment, and the line from the meter to your house is generally the homeowner’s. Where exactly that split sits can vary, so check with your provider before anyone digs near the meter.
Tuscaloosa County has several water providers. Inside city limits it’s the City of Tuscaloosa (after hours: 205-248-5630). Other areas are served by the City of Northport, Coker Water Authority, Warrior River Water Authority, Citizens Water Service and others.
Leaks and water lines
Signs
Hidden leaks usually show up as one of these:
Turn off every faucet and appliance that uses water. Look at the meter and note the reading or the small leak indicator. Wait an hour without using water and check again. If it moved, water is leaving the system somewhere.
Finding it
Leak detection narrows the search before anything gets opened. Plumbers use acoustic listening equipment that picks up the sound of water escaping a pressurized pipe, thermal imaging that shows the warm trail of a hot water leak under a floor, and pressure tests that isolate which part of the system is losing water.
Once the spot is found, the repair usually means opening a small section of yard, wall or floor right over the leak.
Slab leaks
A slab leak is a leak in a water line that runs under a concrete foundation. Signs include a warm spot on the floor, the sound of water under the slab, a meter that moves when everything is off, and damp carpet or warped flooring.
There are three common fixes. The plumber can break through the slab and repair the pipe at the leak, tunnel under the slab to reach it, or reroute the line through the walls or attic and abandon the old pipe. Rerouting is often the better choice when the pipe under the slab is old and likely to leak again in another spot.
Replacing the main
A single leak on a sound pipe can be repaired. Replacement makes more sense when the line has leaked more than once, when it’s an old material like galvanized steel or polybutylene, or when pressure has dropped because the pipe has corroded inside. New lines are usually PEX, copper or PVC rated for water service, and many can be pulled in with trenchless methods that leave the yard mostly intact.
Any digging needs a call to Alabama 811 first so buried utility lines are marked.
Not urgent?
Found a wet spot or a high water bill? Leave your number and a plumber will call you back.
Water coming in right now? Skip the form and call (205) 000-0000.
Questions
Still not sure? Call (205) 000-0000 and describe what you’re seeing.
Service area
We take water line and leak calls across Tuscaloosa, including Alberta City, Forest Lake, Hillcrest, Taylorville, Glendale Gardens, downtown and the University of Alabama area. We also cover Northport, Cottondale, Coker, Holt and the Lake Tuscaloosa area. Give us your address or ZIP code when you call and we’ll match you with a plumber who works there.
Need a different repair? See all plumbing services in Tuscaloosa.
Check the meter, then call. We’ll connect you with a licensed Tuscaloosa plumber who finds and fixes water line and slab leaks.