Urgent repair of a service line that has split or pulled apart, after the water has been shut off.
First steps
- Close the main shutoff where the line enters the house, often in the basement, crawlspace or near an outdoor spigot.
- If the break is in the yard, close the customer valve in the meter pit if there is one.
- If you cannot shut it off, call DeKalb Watershed's emergency line to have the water turned off at the meter.
- Photograph the water, the meter and any damage.
- Call for a repair.
Is it the county's break or yours?
Water surfacing in the street or between the street and the meter is DeKalb's pipe. Call the county. Water surfacing between the meter and the house is yours.
Freezes and aging pipe
Metro Atlanta does not freeze often, which is why freezes do so much damage. In January 2025 DeKalb's CEO called freezing temperatures and aging pipes "a recipe for disaster" as the county dealt with multiple main breaks and a boil water advisory that covered parts of Decatur. Shallow pipe near the meter and lines in exterior walls or crawlspaces are the most exposed.
Questions
Can I use water until it is repaired?
Not if the break is on your service line.
Who do I call if the water is coming up in the street?
DeKalb County Watershed Management. That is the county's side.
Related
Sources: DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management service line ownership sheet, lead and copper FAQ and 2026 galvanized pipe notices; Atlanta News First, 15 January 2025; City of Decatur news release, 14 January 2025.
