Main Water Line Repair and Replacement in Canton and Ball Ground, GA
The water line is the one pipe you cannot see, and the one that costs the most when it fails
Your main water line runs underground from the meter at the street to the shutoff where it enters the house. When it leaks, the water does not show up in a sink; it shows up as a soft spot in the yard, a water bill that doubled, or pressure that faded over a month. Performance Plumbing has repaired and replaced main water lines across Cherokee County since 2015. We locate the leak first, show you where it is, and quote the fix in writing, flat rate, with no service call fee for the visit.
What we do
- Water line leak location using the meter, pressure testing and acoustic listening, so the hole goes where the leak is.
- Main water line repair for a single break, a failed fitting or a crushed section.
- Main water line replacement when the pipe material has reached the end of its life, from the meter to the house.
- Trenchless water line replacement where the route allows, pulling the new line through with one hole at each end instead of an open trench across the yard.
- New water line installation for new homes, additions, detached garages and outbuildings.
- Pressure problems: pressure reducing valve replacement and main shutoff valve replacement at the house.
If the leak turns out to be inside the house rather than in the yard, that is a different job and a different page: see water leak detection and repair. If the pipes inside have reached the same age as the line outside, see whole home repiping.
The signs your main water line is leaking
- A water bill that jumped with no change in how you live.
- A wet, soft or unusually green strip of yard between the street and the house, or water surfacing at the meter box.
- Low water pressure at every fixture, not just one.
- Water that runs discolored or carries grit after being off for a while.
- The meter dial still turning with every fixture in the house shut off.
- Hissing or running water sounds near the main shutoff when nothing is on.
The meter test is the one you can do yourself: shut every fixture off, read the meter, wait thirty minutes, read it again. If it moved, water is leaving the line somewhere, and we can find where.
Why Cherokee County water lines fail
Most of the lines we replace are the original pipe the house was built with. Homes from the 1970s through the mid 1990s often have polybutylene, a grey plastic that becomes brittle and fails at the fittings; it is the single most common reason we replace a whole line. Older homes may have galvanized steel that has rusted shut from the inside, cutting pressure years before it finally leaks. Even modern copper and PVC fail from the ground around them: North Georgia red clay swells when wet and shrinks when dry, which stresses joints season after season, and tree roots wrap and crush a line over decades. A pressure reducing valve that has failed can also push street pressure into a line that was never meant to carry it.
Trenchless or open trench
When the old line runs in a reasonably straight path and the soil cooperates, we replace it trenchless: a pit at the meter, a pit at the house, and the new line pulled through underground. The yard, driveway and landscaping stay intact. When the route bends, crosses other utilities, or the old line has collapsed, an open trench is the honest answer and we say so up front. Either way, the new line is modern, rated pipe sized for the house, with a new shutoff at the foundation.
Repair it or replace it
A single break in a copper or PVC line that is otherwise in good shape is a repair. Polybutylene, galvanized steel, or a line that has already been patched once is a replacement, because the next leak is already forming somewhere else along the run. We tell you which one you have after we locate the leak and see the pipe, not before, and the quote for either is flat rate in writing.
What water line repair costs, and why we do not print a number
What moves the quote: the length of the run from meter to house, how deep the line sits, whether it can be pulled trenchless or needs a trench, what is on top of it (a driveway or patio changes the job), the pipe material, and whether the county requires a permit and inspection for the replacement. We come out, locate the leak, and give you one flat rate quote with nothing added later. There is no service call fee for the visit, and financing options are available on full replacements.
Where we repair and replace water lines
We work out of Ball Ground and cover Cherokee County every day: Canton and BridgeMill, Holly Springs, Hickory Flat, Woodstock, Waleska and Ball Ground itself, plus Jasper and Big Canoe in Pickens County and the Cumming side of Forsyth County. Kennesaw and Milton when the schedule allows. We are not the right call for Augusta, Effingham or Sandy Springs, whatever the search result said.
Why Cherokee County homeowners call Performance Plumbing for water line work
- Leak located before anyone digs. The hole goes where the leak is, not where a guess puts it.
- Trenchless where the yard allows, so the lawn and driveway stay intact.
- No service call fee and free in person estimates. One flat rate quote in writing, nothing added after the dig starts.
- Licensed and insured, Georgia Master Plumber license MP210684, serving Cherokee County since 2015.
- Drug tested and background checked technicians in marked trucks.
- 119 five star Google reviews and a real person answering 24 hours a day at 404-637-9017.
Water line questions, answered
How do I know if my main water line is leaking?
Shut off every fixture, read the water meter, wait thirty minutes, read it again. If it moved, the line is losing water. A soft spot in the yard, a jump in the bill and pressure loss at every tap are the other tells.
Who is responsible for the water line, me or the county?
In Cherokee County the utility owns the line up to and including the meter. From the meter to the house is the homeowner’s. Most leaks we repair are on the homeowner’s side.
Can you replace a water line without digging up my yard?
Usually, yes. Trenchless replacement uses a pit at the meter and a pit at the house and pulls the new line through. If the route bends or crosses other utilities, an open trench is the right call and we tell you before we quote.
What is polybutylene and do I have it?
A grey plastic water pipe used from the late 1970s into the mid 1990s that becomes brittle and fails at the fittings. If your home is from that era and the line has never been replaced, there is a good chance you have it, and a camera or a look at the shutoff tells us in minutes.
Why is my water pressure low in the whole house?
Whole house pressure loss points to the main line, the pressure reducing valve or a failing main shutoff, not a fixture. We test the pressure at the hose bib first and work backward from there.
Do you charge a service call fee to look at a water line?
No. We come out, locate the problem, and give you a flat rate quote before any work starts. If you decide to hold off, you owe us nothing.
How long does a water line replacement take?
Most residential replacements are done in a day, trenchless or open trench, with the water back on the same day. Longer runs or driveway crossings can add a day. We give you the timeline with the quote.
Do you pull permits for water line replacement?
Yes. Where the county requires a permit and inspection, we handle both as part of the job.
Do you offer financing for a water line replacement?
Yes. Financing options are available on larger jobs. Ask when you call, or see our financing page.
Which areas do you cover for water line repair?
All of Cherokee County, including Ball Ground, Canton, Holly Springs, Hickory Flat, Woodstock and Waleska, plus Jasper and Big Canoe in Pickens County and the Cumming area in Forsyth County.
Water bill up, pressure down, or a wet spot in the yard? Call or text 404-637-9017. A real person answers 24 hours a day, there is no service call fee, and we locate the leak before anyone digs.