Skip to content
Pickering Plumbing Company markPickeringPlumbing Co.Call now(365) 334-6645

Trade entry ยท Service line

Water Service Line Repair in Pickering

The water service is the buried line that runs from the curb stop near the street into your basement. When it leaks or loses pressure, the whole house is affected.

  • On the truck: tubing cutter, press tool, torch, moisture meter and thermal camera
  • First look: the main shut-off and the nearest exposed run of pipe
  • Permit often needed; we check with the City first
  • Same-day visits for active water and backups
  • A price range on the phone, a firm quote before work
Call now(365) 334-6645

A plumber answers.
No forms, no waiting list.

Peaceful waters surround a tiny island under a bright sky
Peaceful waters surround a tiny island under a bright sky.

Open 7 daysEmergencies any hour

  • Licensed plumbers, details on request
  • Quote before any work starts
  • Pickering and Durham Region
  • Residential and commercial

Signs you need water service line repair

  • Pressure dropping throughout the house, not just at one tap
  • A wet or soggy strip of lawn between the street and the house
  • Water seeping through the foundation where the line enters
  • Discoloured water at every tap after a period of normal flow
  • The meter moving with all fixtures closed and no leak found indoors

How we handle the job

First we confirm the leak is on the private side. With the indoor main shut-off closed, a moving meter points to a problem upstream, inside the basement wall or under the yard. Water in Pickering is supplied by the Region of Durham, and the curb stop near the property line marks the usual boundary between the Region's pipe and yours. If the fault looks like it is on the public side, we tell you to contact the Region rather than charge you for it.

For a private-side failure, utilities are located through Ontario One Call before digging. We then expose the line, repair or replace the damaged section, pressure test, and backfill. Where the line is old or undersized, replacing the full run to the curb stop is often the better value. Lead or galvanized lines are a separate conversation, since replacement brings health benefits beyond fixing the leak.

Houses built before the mid-1950s may still carry lead service pipes; a few areas near Pickering Village and the older lakeside streets are worth checking.

Pickering homes and this problem

Houses built before the mid-1950s may still carry lead service pipes; a few areas near Pickering Village and the older lakeside streets are worth checking. Many 1960s and 1970s homes have copper service lines that last well but can be damaged by frost heave or by digging for fences and landscaping. Newer subdivisions use plastic service pipe, which fails mainly at fittings or after mechanical damage. Frost depth in Durham means the line is buried deep, and that affects excavation time.

What affects the cost

  • Distance from the curb stop to the house
  • Depth and soil type
  • Surfaces disturbed: lawn, driveway, walkway or garden
  • Repair of a section versus a full new line
  • Whether trenchless installation is possible on your lot

What you can do first

Learn where the main shut-off sits; the front basement wall is the usual spot. If water is coming through the foundation, close it. Fill some jugs with drinking water to tide you over. Take note of when pressure dropped and whether you had any digging done recently.

Bench note: Never try to operate the curb stop yourself. It belongs to the water utility and opens only with a utility wrench, so phone the Region if it must be closed.

Questions to ask before work starts

Ask where the curb stop sits and whether it was found working. Ask what material the new pipe will be and how it joins to the existing meter setup. Ask how the trench will be restored and who handles sod or interlock. If your line turns out to be lead, read our page on lead water service replacement, since the work and its benefits differ from a simple leak repair.

Questions callers ask

How can I tell whether my service pipe is lead?

Scratch the pipe gently where it comes through the foundation. Lead looks dull grey, scratches to a bright silver and ignores a magnet. We can confirm on a visit.

Can the line be replaced without digging up the lawn?

On many lots a new line can be pulled through with minimal excavation at each end. Soil, obstacles and the route decide whether that works.

Will my water be off all day?

Only during the actual connection work. We plan the job so the shutdown is as short as practical.

Related pages

Call (365) 334-6645