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

by Lauren Leazenby
cost guide, wsl

Despite the age-old rivalry, skiers and snowboarders have one thing in common: You both know what it’s like when things go downhill. And that’s what’s in store if your water service line malfunctions or breaks. Specifically, you could be looking at a Great Salt Lake’s worth of flooding in your front lawn, or mountain-level elevated water bills. But here’s something to ease your fears: Repairing or replacing your water service line in Utah is considerably less expensive (on average) than doing the same elsewhere in the nation.

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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 Utah, these lines aren’t buried quite as deep, at only 4.16 feet. 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 Beehive 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: $94

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 Utah, the fee for this is 58% less than the national average.

Water Service Line Repair: $789

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.

Utah’s average repair price is about 24% lower than the nation’s.

Water Service Line Replace: $2,200

Small sections of leaky or broken pipe can be repaired, but massive clogs or fully compromised pipes might necessitate a full replacement. Due in part to how deep your pipes are buried, water service line replacements cost Utahns a full 39% less than the average American.

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Video produced and directed by Eric Rossi: