# Atlanta: Who Pays for the Water Service Line? | Who Pays the Repair?

> In Atlanta, the city owns the water service line from the main to the meter and the customer owns the line from the meter to the building.

**Who pays:** shared

In Atlanta, DWM is responsible for the service line from the main to the meter, and the owner for the meter to the building.

**Boundary:** The Department of Watershed Management (DWM) owns and is responsible for the service line from the water main to the water meter; the property owner is responsible from the water meter to the home or building.

## Sources
- [Service Line Information](https://atlantawatershed.org/dwmservicelineinfo/) — "Responsibility for the service line is shared between DWM and the property owner. DWM is responsible for the portion from the water main to the water meter, while the property owner is responsible for the portion from the water meter to the home or building." (accessed 2026-10-09)
- [News Release: DWM Addresses Concerns Regarding Lead Notification Letters](https://atlantawatershed.org/dwmnewsrelease-dec-3-2025/) — "DWM owns the section of the service line from the water main to the meter, while the section from the meter to the building inlet is owned by the customer." (accessed 2026-10-09)

_Last verified 2026-10-09. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/atlanta-ga-water-service-line/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._