Raleigh has owned and operated the Wake Forest water system since July 2005, and Raleigh maintains water lines up to the property line; the owner is responsible from there to the house. A plumber can locate a leak on that private section and repair or replace it. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Wake Forest.
When you make the call
We connect callers with independent local plumbers and don't do the work ourselves. The plumber who picks up will ask where water is surfacing, how the pressure has changed and whether the meter moves when nothing is running. On site, the first job is confirming the leak sits on your side of the property line. From there the plumber follows the line from the meter toward the house, digs at the leak and lays out the choice between repairing that spot and replacing the run. If the leak turns out to be on the public side, the plumber will tell you so you can report it to Raleigh Water instead.
What the price depends on
- How far the house sits from the street.
- Repair or full replacement. A single cracked fitting is a smaller job.
- Hardscape over the line, such as driveways, walks and patios.
- Older pipe in homes near downtown or the mill village.
- Permits. Wake Forest Inspections issues plumbing permits.
Wake Forest specifics
Wake Forest and Raleigh merged their water and sewer systems in July 2005, so for a problem in the street or at the meter you call Raleigh Water, not the Town. Water comes from Falls Lake and Lake Benson. Raleigh maintains the line up to the property line; the rest is yours. Water and sewer connection permits go through Raleigh, while the Town of Wake Forest Inspections Department issues plumbing permits and inspects the work.
Most of the town is new. The median home was built in 2009 and only about 8% predate 1980. Leaks in newer subdivisions usually come from fittings, settling soil or damage during later projects. The exceptions are the Downtown Wake Forest and Glen Royall Mill Village historic districts, where service lines can be considerably older. Homes in the Franklin County portion or in outlying areas beyond Raleigh's lines may be on private wells.
A short checklist
- Locate the main shutoff and test that it closes
- Take a meter reading, wait an hour with no water use, and read it again
- Photograph the wet area so you can show how it has changed
- Let the plumber know about irrigation lines and recent yard work
Water Line Repair questions in Wake Forest
Which part of the pipe between the street and my house is mine to fix?
Water is bubbling out of the yard. Is that my line or the utility's?
Is a permit needed to repair or replace a water service line?
How do I use the water meter to tell if the buried line is leaking?
More plumbing services in Wake Forest
Water Line Repair nearby
Helpful guides
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