How Much Does It Cost to Repair or Replace a Water Service Line in Oregon?

by Lauren Leazenby
cost guide, wsl

Does your front lawn look like a miniature version of the Gorge? It might not be the rain. Your water service line is buried somewhere under there, and when it malfunctions, it can leak water, which may drive up your water bills or even create sunken spots in your driveway. Repairing or replacing your water service line can get pretty spendy, but you Oregonians can expect your bill to be a bit lower than the national average.

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Your exterior water service line carries water from the public water main into your home. But make no mistake: Once the pipes run under your property, they’re your responsibility — so you’re likely on the hook for any repair or replacement costs.

How deep your pipes are buried deeply impacts the price you pay for these services. Water service lines are buried as deep as local building codes require — but usually, the depth is determined by the frost line in your area. And the deeper the technician must dig to get to your broken or otherwise compromised line, the higher the cost.

graphic visualization showing a cut-away of a home exposing its rooms and home systems specifically focused on the water service line

The nationwide average water service line depth is 4.58 feet, but in Oregon, these lines aren’t buried quite as deep — only 4.05 feet on average. For context, in f-f-f-freezing Minnesota, pipe depth is more than 8 feet.

Repair and replacement costs also vary depending on where you live. The national average for diagnosis is $222, for repair is $1,039 and for replacement is $3,581.

Below, you’ll find average service prices based on aggregated HomeServe data reported by our network of contractors across the state, which should give you an approximation of how much you’ll pay to fix your out-of-commission water service line.

Water Service Line Diagnosis: $185

Before any work can begin, the technician will need to come out and run some tests to see what’s wrong with your system. In Oregon, the fee for this is about 17% lower than the national average.

Water Service Line Repair: $964

A whole host of things can cause trouble with your exterior water service line — from invading tree roots to clogs to general wear and tear. Whatever’s up with your system, the repair process will likely start with excavation to expose the pipe. Depending on your situation, the technician may need to clear a blockage, find a leak or fix the pipe — and, of course, fill the hole back in.

Oregon's average repair price is about 7% lower than the nation’s.

Water Service Line Replace: $3,359

Small sections of leaky or broken pipe can be repaired, but massive clogs or fully compromised pipes might necessitate a full replacement. Water service line replacements cost Oregonians about 6% less than the average American.

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Video produced and directed by Eric Rossi: