How do I know it is the water main and not a sprinkler leak?

Sprinkler leaks tend to show up at a head or a valve box. A main leak is a wet stripe or a soft spot between the meter and the house, often with a sudden drop in pressure inside. We will confirm which it is before quoting a repair.

Can you replace a main without tearing up the whole yard?

Sometimes. Trenchless is an option when the pipe path is straight and the soil cooperates. When it does not, we trench the shortest honest route and put the yard back as close as we can. We will tell you which applies before we start.

Do you do leak detection?

Yes. We find hidden and underground leaks on the water main, under slabs, and inside walls before anyone opens a trench or a wall. If the leak turns out to be on the city side of the meter, we will tell you so you can call the water department instead of paying us.

Should I repair the water line or replace it?

One break on an otherwise sound line is a repair. A galvanized or older main that has leaked more than once, or a line with low pressure end to end, is usually a replacement. We will show you why before we quote either.

A pipe burst. What do I do right now?

Shut off the main valve where the water line enters the house, open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the pressure, and turn off the water heater. Then call us during shop hours, Monday through Friday. After hours, leave a message and we will call you back as soon as we open.

How long are we without water?

A straightforward replacement is typically a same-day outage. We plan the shutoff so you are not sitting in a dark house overnight waiting on a part.

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Boise, IdahoEst. 1988

Water main & water line repair before the yard turns into a pond.

A leaking water main or a burst underground line does not wait. We find the leak, tell you whether a repair or a full main water line replacement is the honest move, and restore service with materials that hold up in Idaho soil and freeze-thaw — not the cheapest pipe on the truck.

Schedule This Call (208) 609-9000

Ritchie Plumbing van alongside a vacuum truck on a water and sewer main job in the Treasure Valley

In this valley

What water main & water line repair actually looks like in Boise.

Thirty-eight years under Treasure Valley houses. The conditions here are not the ones in a national plumbing blog.

Idaho soil and freeze-thaw are hard on mains

Treasure Valley clay shifts, and winter freeze-thaw opens joints that looked fine in August. We see a lot of galvanized and older copper mains fail at the same spots — the meter, the foundation penetration, and anywhere the line was bedded on rock instead of sand.

Leak detection comes before the shovel

A green stripe from the meter to the house, a water bill that jumped with no change in use, or a meter that spins with every tap off usually means an underground leak. We isolate the line and pin down where it is leaking before we dig, so you are not paying for a landscaping project that was not the problem.

A new main should fix the pressure too

Replacing the line is the time to deal with low pressure at the source. We check the pressure reducing valve and the line size on the way in, so the new pipe is not feeding the house through an old bottleneck.

How the job actually goes

01
Find the leak
Leak detection first. We confirm it is the main or an underground line, mark the path, and tell you whether a repair or a full replacement is the right call.
02
Plan the route
The shortest honest trench or trenchless path, and a clear number before we break ground.
03
Replace and restore
New line, pressure-tested, water back on, and the yard put back as close as the job allows.

What's included

06 items

01Leak detection for hidden and underground leaks
02Underground water line and burst pipe repair
03Full main water line replacement
04Trenchless options when appropriate
05Clear scope and price before we dig
06Trenching, repair, and yard put back

Sound familiar?

Low water pressure throughout the home
Unexplained water bills or wet spots in the yard
A burst or frozen pipe
Aging galvanized or corroded main lines

Straight answers

Water Main & Water Line Repair questions we get in Boise.

How do I know it is the water main and not a sprinkler leak?: Sprinkler leaks tend to show up at a head or a valve box. A main leak is a wet stripe or a soft spot between the meter and the house, often with a sudden drop in pressure inside. We will confirm which it is before quoting a repair.
Can you replace a main without tearing up the whole yard?: Sometimes. Trenchless is an option when the pipe path is straight and the soil cooperates. When it does not, we trench the shortest honest route and put the yard back as close as we can. We will tell you which applies before we start.
Do you do leak detection?: Yes. We find hidden and underground leaks on the water main, under slabs, and inside walls before anyone opens a trench or a wall. If the leak turns out to be on the city side of the meter, we will tell you so you can call the water department instead of paying us.
Should I repair the water line or replace it?: One break on an otherwise sound line is a repair. A galvanized or older main that has leaked more than once, or a line with low pressure end to end, is usually a replacement. We will show you why before we quote either.
A pipe burst. What do I do right now?: Shut off the main valve where the water line enters the house, open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the pressure, and turn off the water heater. Then call us during shop hours, Monday through Friday. After hours, leave a message and we will call you back as soon as we open.
How long are we without water?: A straightforward replacement is typically a same-day outage. We plan the shutoff so you are not sitting in a dark house overnight waiting on a part.

Boise & the Treasure Valley

Need water main & water line repair today?

Tell us what is going on. We will tell you honestly when we can be there and what it is likely to cost.

Schedule Online (208) 609-9000