If the repair is yours to pay
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Default rule and exceptions
The department repairs, maintains or replaces the service branch without charge from the main to and including the valve (where not beneath the street paving or curb) or to a point behind the curb; the property owner maintains the portion from those points into the premises served.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Property owner | Must maintain in proper condition the portion of the water branch from the department's endpoint into the premises served. |
| City / utility | The department repairs and maintains, or replaces at the same size without charge, the branch from the main to and including the valve or to a point behind the curb. |
| Exceptions | Failure to repair a leak in the time allotted on notice is sufficient cause for the department to discontinue service. |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Oct 12, 2026.
Where a service branch is installed, the department shall repair and maintain it or replace it with a branch of the same size, without charge, from the main to and including: (a) The valve, where the valve is not beneath the street paving or the street curb. (b) To a point behind the curb
That portion of a water branch from points described in (a), (b), and (c) of Section ... into the premises served, shall be maintained in proper condition by the owner. Failure to repair a leak or leaks in the time allotted on notice shall be sufficient cause to justify the department in discontinuing the service.
The property owner is responsible for their service line and plumbing on private property.
City rules rest on state law. Read Ohio's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for water service line in Cincinnati, OH?
Responsibility is shared. Must maintain in proper condition the portion of the water branch from the department's endpoint into the premises served.
Are there exceptions in Cincinnati, OH?
Failure to repair a leak in the time allotted on notice is sufficient cause for the department to discontinue service.
What is this based on for Cincinnati, OH?
This verdict is sourced to Cincinnati Municipal Code Sec. 401-38, Replacement and Repair of Service Branches and 3 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- Cincinnati Municipal Code Sec. 401-38, Replacement and Repair of Service Branchesstatute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-12
- Cincinnati Municipal Code Sec. 401-39, Maintenance of Service Branch by Property Ownerstatute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-12
- Frequently Asked Questionsofficial-guide · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-12
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