Last updated: July 27, 2026
Emergency warning: If you smell gas, hear hissing, see a damaged electric or gas line, or suspect a hazardous line was struck, stop work and move everyone away. Do not touch equipment, start a vehicle, use a phone near the damage, flip a switch, or try to cover the line. From a safe location, call 911 and the utility’s emergency number. Report even a scrape, dent, or nick in a gas line. Do not attempt the repair yourself.
Bottom line: Contact 811 before any project that breaks the ground, even a small fence, mailbox, garden, drainage, or landscaping job. The 811 service is free, but it normally marks only lines owned or operated by participating utilities. Lines owned by the homeowner may require a paid private locator. If a water, sewer, gas, electric, or communication service line needs repair, first ask the utility to identify the ownership boundary and any available assistance. Help may be a utility-paid repair, grant, forgivable loan, deferred loan, regular loan, insurance benefit, service contract, disaster benefit, or referral. These are not the same thing.
A failed service line can cause a leak, sewage backup, unsafe conditions, or a large bill. This guide explains 811, ownership boundaries, and payment help. Confirm the rules for your address before signing a contract or digging.
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Quick Directions
| Your situation | First contact | Type of help | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| You plan to dig | 811 before you dig | Free utility-location service | It may not locate homeowner-owned or other private lines. |
| A private line may cross the work area | A qualified private utility locator | Paid locating service | The property owner usually pays unless a contract or local program says otherwise. |
| A water or sewer line is leaking or blocked | Your water or sewer utility | Emergency response, utility repair, payment plan, adjustment, or referral | Responsibility may change at the main, curb, meter, cleanout, easement, or property line. |
| Your water service line may contain lead | Your water system’s lead service line program | Utility replacement, grant-funded work, or subsidized project | Homeowners generally apply through the local water system, not directly to EPA. |
| You have very low income and live in an eligible rural area | USDA Rural Development | Loan or grant | Grants have age and hazard-removal rules; loans must be repaid. |
| Your city or county has a repair program | Local housing or community development office | Grant, forgivable loan, deferred loan, or regular loan | Funding, repair types, and waiting lists vary locally. |
| The damage came from a declared disaster | FEMA, USDA, your insurer, and local recovery office | Disaster assistance, insurance benefit, loan, or grant | Only disaster-caused damage during an eligible event may qualify. |
| You do not know where to start | 211 and local government | Referral service | 211 is not itself a repair grant. |
Call 811 Before Any Digging
811 is the free national call-before-you-dig service. A homeowner or contractor can submit a request, which is sent to participating utility operators. Contact 811 for any project that disturbs soil, including fences, trees, mailboxes, drainage, irrigation, foundations, and service line repairs. Even shallow digging can hit a line.
- Mark the planned work area in white. Use white paint, flags, stakes, or another method allowed in your state. A clear work area helps locators know where to mark.
- Submit the request. Call 811 or use your state’s online system. Give the street address, county, nearest cross street, type of work, exact area, contact information, and planned start date.
- Wait the full required time. The notice period is set by state law and is often measured in business or working days. Weekends and holidays may not count. Check the 811 state map for the rule where the property is located.
- Confirm every listed utility responded. A utility may mark the ground, provide an all-clear response, or give other instructions. Do not assume silence means the area is clear.
- Respect the marks and dig carefully. Protect the marks, follow the state’s tolerance-zone rule, and use hand tools or other required methods near marked facilities. If marks fade, the ticket expires, the work area changes, or the project is delayed, request a remark or new ticket as required.
A locate ticket is not a building permit. You may still need a plumbing, excavation, street-opening, right-of-way, or building permit. You may also need utility approval, an inspection, traffic control, or a licensed contractor.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration explains that state law controls notice periods and safe-digging duties. Its call-before-you-dig guidance also says homeowners and contractors should contact 811 before every excavation.
What 811 Marks – And What It May Not
811 usually notifies participating utility operators to mark the facilities they own or operate in the planned excavation area. The paint or flags show an approximate horizontal location. They do not promise an exact depth, and they do not make mechanical digging directly beside a mark safe.
Private lines may not be covered. These are lines owned by the property owner, landlord, association, or another non-member operator. Examples include:
- Water or sewer piping beyond the utility’s ownership point
- Gas or electric lines to pools, grills, generators, sheds, or detached buildings
- Irrigation, septic, landscape lighting, invisible fencing, and propane systems
- Privately installed cable, fiber, or communication lines
These are examples, not a universal ownership rule. Colorado 811’s private-locating guidance explains the difference. Ask each utility what it will mark and where its responsibility ends. Hire a qualified private locator when private facilities may be present.
Good question to ask 811: “Which member utilities were notified, and how will I know each one responded?” Then compare the response list with the services you see at the property. A missing operator or an unexplained private line needs follow-up before work starts.
What the Utility Marking Colors Mean
The APWA uniform color code identifies the general type of buried facility.
| Color | Usually means |
|---|---|
| White | Proposed excavation area |
| Pink | Temporary survey markings |
| Red | Electric power lines, cables, conduit, and lighting cables |
| Yellow | Gas, oil, steam, petroleum, or gaseous materials |
| Orange | Communication, alarm, signal, cable, or conduit |
| Blue | Potable water |
| Purple | Reclaimed water, irrigation, or slurry lines |
| Green | Sewer and drain lines |
Color alone does not identify ownership, pipe material, exact depth, pressure, or condition. Never use the marks as a substitute for safe excavation practices.
If a Line Is Hit, Scraped, Exposed, or Unsupported
Stop work, keep people away, and do not touch, repair, cover, or backfill the line.
- Gas, petroleum, or electric hazard: Leave without operating switches, phones, or engines. Call 911 and the utility from a safe place.
- Water or sewer line: Call the utility or public works emergency number. Avoid sewage and stop using water if it worsens the release.
- Communication line: Contact the operator. Some cables carry dangerous voltage or serve emergency systems.
Report every contact, even if service continues. A scrape, dent, stretched cable, or cracked conduit can fail later. Save the ticket, response, incident number, photos taken safely, and repair records.
Who Pays for a Service Line Repair?
There is no single national ownership rule. Responsibility may change at the main, meter, curb stop, cleanout, easement, or property line. Utility tariffs, local code, and service agreements control. Do not rely on a neighbor’s experience.
Ask the utility for a written boundary
Before hiring anyone, ask the utility to identify:
- The exact ownership and maintenance boundary for your address
- Whether the utility must inspect or approve the repair
- Whether it has a preferred or required contractor list
- Who obtains the 811 ticket, private locate, permits, and inspections
- Whether the work is in a public right-of-way or easement
- Whether a repair, full replacement, or larger system project is required
- Whether the utility offers emergency assistance, a payment plan, a leak adjustment, or a replacement program
- Whether the line is recorded as lead, galvanized requiring replacement, unknown, or another material
Do not authorize excavation based only on a salesperson’s statement that the line is yours. Get the utility’s answer first. A utility may be responsible for part or all of the work, or it may have a program that must approve the project before construction begins.
Ways to Get Help Paying for Service Line Repairs
Start with the utility, then local housing and infrastructure programs. Most help is tied to income, age, rural location, lead removal, a disaster, a utility project, or an urgent hazard.
1. Utility repair and replacement programs
Type of help: Utility-paid work, grant-funded replacement, rebate, bill credit, payment plan, leak adjustment, or subsidized contractor service.
Utilities may repair their side at no charge or offer income-qualified lateral, lead-line, backup-prevention, or emergency plumbing programs. A leak adjustment may reduce excess water charges but usually does not pay the contractor. Ask before work starts; later reimbursement may not be allowed.
2. Lead service line replacement
Type of help: Utility replacement, public project, grant-funded work, or subsidized replacement. The household usually does not apply directly to EPA.
EPA’s lead service line information directs households to their water system for inventory and replacement plans. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund can support full replacement, including private-property work. EPA’s funding guide explains that states and water systems administer the money. Local projects may be free, subsidized, or cost-shared.
Avoid partial lead line replacement when possible. Replacing only one section can leave lead-containing material in place and may temporarily increase lead release. Ask whether the project will replace the complete service line from the main to the home’s plumbing connection and how drinking water will be protected during and after the work.
3. USDA Section 504 rural home repair help
Type of help: Direct federal loan or grant.
The USDA Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants program, often called Section 504, may help very-low-income owner-occupants in eligible rural areas repair, improve, or modernize a home or remove health and safety hazards. A failed water, sewer, or other essential service line may be considered when it is part of an eligible repair, but the local USDA office decides.
- Loan: Up to $40,000, generally at 1% fixed interest, with a repayment term of up to 20 years.
- Grant: Up to $10,000 lifetime for homeowners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan. Grant funds must remove health and safety hazards.
- Combined help: Up to $50,000 when the applicant qualifies for both.
- Repayment warning: A grant must generally be repaid if the property is sold in less than three years.
There is no single national income number. Limits depend on county and household size. The applicant must generally own and occupy the home, be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere, and meet rural and very-low-income rules. Applications are usually accepted year-round through local Rural Development offices, subject to funding. Review the current USDA fact sheet and the housing program page.
Our Section 504 guide explains the application process in plain language.
4. City, county, and state repair programs
Type of help: Grant, forgivable loan, deferred-payment loan, zero- or low-interest loan, regular loan, or contractor-managed repair.
HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program sends funds to states and local governments, which may create repair or water and sewer programs. HUD does not normally pay homeowners directly. Local agencies choose eligible areas, repairs, incomes, and property types. Review the HUD CDBG page, then ask local housing, community development, public works, and water offices about owner-occupied repair and service-line help.
Read our guides to CDBG home repair programs and finding local repair help. Apply before work starts unless the program gives written emergency approval.
5. Homeowners insurance and service line coverage
Type of help: Insurance benefit, optional endorsement, or service contract. This is not a grant.
Coverage depends on the policy and cause. An optional endorsement may cover sudden buried-line damage, while wear, corrosion, roots, poor maintenance, and pre-existing damage may be excluded. Deductibles and caps apply. A utility-branded plan may be a service contract, not insurance. Check waiting periods, exclusions, contractor rules, excavation, restoration, and limits. See the California Department of Insurance home protection contract guide; state rules differ.
Ask the insurer or agent for a written coverage decision. The NAIC state directory can help you find the state insurance department if you need consumer help or want to check whether a company is regulated.
6. Disaster assistance
Type of help: FEMA assistance, insurance benefit, disaster loan, USDA grant or loan, or local recovery grant.
For federally declared disaster damage, report the loss to the insurer and review the event’s official notice. FEMA’s Individual Assistance page covers help that may make a damaged primary home safe and usable; it does not provide full restoration or duplicate insurance. Rural households should also ask USDA about county-specific disaster help. Deadlines and benefits vary by event.
7. 211 and nonprofit referrals
Type of help: Referral, volunteer repair, charitable assistance, or one-time local aid.
Dial 211 for utility assistance, emergency repair, community action agencies, and charities. A referral does not guarantee funding. Nonprofits may limit service by age, disability, veteran status, income, or area, and some provide labor but not materials.
Our home repair starting guide can help you organize the search. If a program says no, use the steps in our denial and appeal guide.
Documents to Gather Before You Apply
Programs may ask for different items. Gathering the basics early can prevent delays.
- Photo identification for adult household members
- Deed, property tax record, mortgage statement, or other proof of ownership
- Proof that the home is your primary residence
- Recent income records for all household members
- Utility account number and recent bills
- Utility ownership letter and repair report, if available
- Photos, 811 ticket, and private locate report
- Itemized estimates for labor, materials, permits, excavation, and restoration
- Insurance policy, claim decision, disaster record, or lead-line notice when relevant
See our document checklist for a fuller list.
Before You Hire a Contractor
- Confirm ownership and approval. Get the utility’s boundary in writing and ask whether a program must approve work first.
- Diagnose the failure. Leak detection, pressure testing, or a sewer camera may prevent unnecessary excavation.
- Get itemized estimates. Include materials, excavation, permits, inspections, backfill, restoration, and warranty.
- Verify licensing and insurance. A general handyman may not be allowed to repair utility service lines.
- Coordinate locating and permits. Put responsibility in the contract, but verify the 811 ticket yourself.
- Use progress payments. Do not pay in full up front. Save permits, inspection approval, warranty, photos, invoice, and an updated line sketch.
Scam warning: Be cautious when someone appears after a leak or disaster, says the whole line must be replaced without testing, demands cash, asks for full payment up front, discourages permits, or offers financing that puts a lien on the home. The FTC’s home improvement scam guide recommends checking licenses and insurance, getting multiple written estimates, reading the contract, and avoiding full advance payment.
Questions and Phone Scripts
Script 1 – Utility ownership and help
“I am calling about a possible [water/sewer/gas/electric] service line problem at [address]. Please tell me the exact point where the utility’s ownership ends and the property owner’s responsibility begins. Do you need to inspect it? Are there any repair, replacement, lead-line, income-qualified, payment-plan, or leak-adjustment programs for this address? Please send the answer and application steps in writing.”
Script 2 – 811 and private lines
“I have an 811 ticket for work at [address]. Which utility operators were notified, and has each one responded? The project area may also contain [sprinkler/septic/private gas/electric/sewer] lines. Will those be marked, or do I need a private locator? What is the required waiting period, ticket expiration date, and tolerance-zone rule in this state?”
Script 3 – Local repair program
“I own and live in a home at [address]. A [water service line/sewer lateral/other essential line] needs repair, and the estimated cost is about [$ amount]. Does your office have an owner-occupied rehabilitation, emergency repair, CDBG, lead service line, or utility repair program? Is the help a grant, deferred loan, forgivable loan, or regular loan? May I apply before choosing a contractor, and is work allowed to begin before written approval?”
Script 4 – Insurance or service contract
“Please check my policy and every endorsement for buried service line coverage. The damage appears to involve [describe line and cause]. Is this insurance or a service contract? What are the deductible, limit, exclusions, waiting period, contractor rules, and coverage for excavation, permits, and landscape or pavement restoration? Please give me the claim decision in writing.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping 811 for a small or shallow project
- Starting before every utility responds
- Assuming 811 marks private lines or exact depth
- Using a neighbor’s ownership rule for your home
- Starting before written program or insurance approval
- Ignoring permits, inspections, or a written scope
- Calling every program a grant when repayment may be required
A Simple Action Plan
- Handle immediate danger first. Move away and call 911 and the utility for gas, electric, petroleum, or other hazardous damage.
- Call the utility. Request an inspection, ownership boundary, emergency instructions, and program list.
- Contact 811. Submit a ticket before any soil is disturbed and wait the full state-required period.
- Locate private facilities. Hire a private locator when homeowner-owned lines may be in the work area.
- Check assistance before construction. Contact the utility, city or county, USDA if rural, insurer, disaster office if applicable, and 211.
- Gather documents and estimates. Keep every written decision and ask what costs are eligible.
- Use a qualified contractor. Verify licensing, insurance, permits, inspections, and the final warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it cost money to contact 811?
No. The 811 notification and utility-marking service is free to the person making the request. A private locator may charge a fee for homeowner-owned or other private lines that 811 member utilities do not mark.
How early should I contact 811?
Contact 811 before digging and allow the full notice period required by the state where the work will occur. The exact number of business or working days, treatment of holidays, ticket life, and remark rules vary by state.
Does 811 mark every buried line on my property?
Not always. Participating utility operators generally mark the facilities they own or operate. Irrigation, septic, private gas or electric, yard lighting, and service lines beyond the utility ownership point may require a private locator.
Who pays for a broken water or sewer service line?
It depends on the utility’s ownership boundary and the cause of damage. Ask the utility for the rule for your address in writing. Do not assume the meter, curb, cleanout, or property line is always the boundary.
Can a grant pay for a service line repair?
Sometimes. A local repair program, lead service line project, USDA Section 504 grant, disaster program, or charity may help. Many programs are loans, deferred loans, insurance benefits, utility projects, or referrals rather than grants.
Is it safe to dig as soon as colored marks appear?
Not necessarily. Confirm that every utility listed on the ticket has responded, wait the full state-required time, follow the tolerance-zone rule, protect the marks, and locate private lines. Marks show an approximate horizontal location, not exact depth.
About This Guide
Home Repair Grants is an independent information resource. We are not a government agency, utility, insurer, lender, contractor, or 811 center. We do not award grants, approve applications, locate utilities, or make coverage decisions.
This guide uses national safety information and official program sources. Local law, utility ownership, funding, income limits, covered repairs, and application periods can change. Confirm every important detail with the agency or utility serving the property before digging, applying, or signing a contract.
See our main home repair assistance guide for more ways to search. To report a correction, email info@homerepairgrants.org.
Safety and legal disclaimer: This article provides general information, not engineering, excavation, legal, insurance, or financial advice. Follow emergency instructions from 911, utilities, 811, code officials, and licensed professionals. State damage-prevention laws and local permit rules control.
Last verified: July 27, 2026
Next scheduled review: October 27, 2026