Water Service Line Replacement · Snellville, GA
Main Water Service Line Replacement Under a Sidewalk in Snellville, GA
Water washing across the sidewalk is usually the first visible sign of a main line leak that's been running underground for a while. This Snellville homeowner called at the first wet spot; we traced it to the main water service pipe, laid out repair versus replacement, and on their choice installed a new line from the meter into the home. Stars and Pipes Plumbing Atlanta, MP211014.
- ServiceWater Service Line Replacement
- LocationSnellville, GA
- Call typeHomeowner-spotted leak · front yard
- OutcomeOne continuous line, meter to home
- MP211014GA Master Plumber
- Veteran-OwnedFamily-operated since 2024
- 5.0★180+ reviews
- Same-Day24/7 emergency service
The diagnosis
What we found
The homeowner noticed water collecting by the sidewalk in the front yard - and by the time a buried leak surfaces like that, it's a big one. We traced it to a failure on the main water service pipe and gave them a real choice: a targeted repair on the failed section, or a full replacement of the line. They approved the replacement.
The work
What we did
- Traced the water surfacing at the sidewalk to a failing main water service pipe
- Presented both options - spot repair or full line replacement - and the homeowner chose replacement
- Trenched the new route across the front yard, starting at the water meter
- Dug on both sides of the sidewalk and directionally drilled a short section underneath it - no concrete cut
- Installed one continuous run of new pipe from the meter, under the sidewalk, into the home - connections only at the meter and inside
- Finished at the new main shutoff valve and pressure regulator in the garage, then backfilled and cleaned up the yard
On this job
- Main water service pipe
- Main shutoff valve
- Pressure regulator (PRV)
- Water meter connection fittings
The result
A brand-new main water service line in one continuous run - one connection at the meter, one inside the home, and no buried fittings left in the yard to fail - with the sidewalk untouched and the lawn backfilled and cleaned up behind us.
From this job
Photos from the job
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Trenching the new water service line route across the front yard, starting from the meter. -
The crew feeding the new line through - directionally drilled beneath the sidewalk instead of cutting it. -
The new service pipe tied in at the water meter - one of only two connections on the whole run. -
Inside the garage: the new main shutoff valve and pressure regulator where the line enters the home. -
Backfilled, seeded with straw, and cleaned up - the yard on our way out.
Rated 5.0 by Local Homeowners
Homeowners who called us
What this job shows
Why the sidewalk didn’t have to come out
The assumption on a job like this is that something has to lose - either the old pipe stays and gets patched, or the sidewalk gets cut so the new one can go in. Neither happened. By digging on both sides and directionally drilling a short section beneath the concrete, the trenching route ran clean from the meter to the house, and the finished line is better than what a straight dig would have produced: one continuous run with no fittings buried in the yard.
The other thing this job shows is what an early phone call buys. Because the homeowner acted on the first water they saw at the sidewalk, they got to choose between a repair and a full water line replacement on their own terms - before erosion or a foundation problem made the decision for them. That’s the call we’d want from any homeowner in Snellville who spots water where it shouldn’t be.
Frequently asked questions
Can you replace a water service line that runs under a sidewalk or driveway?
Yes - without breaking the concrete. On this Snellville job we dug on both sides of the sidewalk and directionally drilled a short section underneath it, then pulled the new pipe through. Trenching handles the open yard; short bores handle the hardscape. The sidewalk never knew we were there.
Why does a continuous run with no buried connections matter?
Every buried fitting is a future leak waiting in shifting Georgia clay. That's why we make our first connection at the water meter and the next one all the way inside the home - nothing joined underground in between. Fewer connection points means fewer places for the new line to ever fail, and a pipe the homeowner can actually have confidence in.
How much of the yard does trenching a new water line tear up?
Less than most homeowners fear. The trench is a narrow cut along the pipe's route, and when the line is in we backfill it, cover it with straw to hold the soil and reseed, and haul off our mess. Within a few weeks of normal watering, the seam grows back in.
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