Should You Call Austin Water or a Private Plumber?

Austin Water is generally responsible for the public water main and the line up to the meter. The homeowner is generally responsible for everything from the meter into the house, including the service line, the slab, and interior plumbing. If you are seeing signs of a leak and are not sure which side of that line it is on, Austin Water can often help confirm whether an outage, main break, or city-side issue is involved before you call a private plumber or leak detection specialist for something on your own property.

When to Contact Austin Water

If you suspect a city-side issue, a water main break, a city-wide outage, or unusual activity you can see outside your property line, Austin Water's dispatch line is 512-972-1000 for emergencies and 311 (or 512-974-2000) for non-emergency reporting.

When It's a Private-Side Issue

If the issue is isolated to your own property, a high bill with no visible city-side cause, a warm spot on your floor, a meter that will not stop running, that is a private-side issue, and the right next step is a leak detection specialist rather than the city utility.