If the repair is yours to pay
Get more than one quote before you agree to a price, and ask the contractor to confirm where the property line and the public side begin.
Compare licensed plumbers on AngiGet more than one quote before a sewer, water-line, or drain repair.
See what a home warranty covers (Choice)Read the coverage and exclusions before you buy; not every repair qualifies.
Partner link. Who Pays the Repair? may earn a commission if you request a quote or sign up, at no cost to you. It never changes who we say pays.
Default rule and exceptions
Owner-owned/repaired plumbing begins where water leaves the Philadelphia Water Department main in the street and runs to the house. PWD owns only the main.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Property owner | Ensure the safe delivery of drinking water once it leaves the PWD main, i.e., maintain and repair the water service pipe from the main to and inside the home. |
| City / public agency | The Philadelphia Water Department owns and maintains the water main in the street. |
| Exceptions | None on record |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Sep 27, 2026.
Once drinking water leaves the PWD water main in the street, its safe delivery becomes the customer’s responsibility.
This means that customers must repair faulty plumbing that connects our water and sewer mains to their home as well as the plumbing inside the home.
City rules rest on state law. Read Pennsylvania's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for water service line in Philadelphia, PA?
The property owner. Ensure the safe delivery of drinking water once it leaves the PWD main, i.e., maintain and repair the water service pipe from the main to and inside the home.
What does the city cover in Philadelphia, PA?
The Philadelphia Water Department owns and maintains the water main in the street.
What is this based on for Philadelphia, PA?
This verdict is sourced to Customer Responsibilities: once water leaves the PWD main it is the customer’s responsibility and 2 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- Customer Responsibilities: once water leaves the PWD main it is the customer’s responsibilityofficial · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-11
- Customer Responsibilities: customers must repair plumbing connecting the mains to the homeofficial · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-11
Spot an error? Challenge this record
Found an out-of-date code section, a wrong verdict, or a better primary source? Tell us. Corrections that check out are applied, with the change shown in history. That is our standing policy.