In Manhattan the water service from the main to the meter belongs to the building’s owner, and on most buildings it is bigger and busier than a house line. When it leaks, we find the leak first, then repair the section or relay the service in copper.
Manhattan buildings usually need larger water services, and many have a separate fire service line. Older buildings and brownstones may still have lead or galvanized services.
Work under the street is planned around the DOT permit’s hours, the building’s schedule and the utilities already in the ground. We replace in copper from the main to the meter.
The water service from the city main to your meter belongs to the property owner, including the tap on the main and the curb valve under the sidewalk. When DEP finds a leak on it, the owner gets a 3-Day or 10-Day Notice, and the clock starts on the date printed on the paper. See DEP notices and compliance.
More on NYC water main repair and NYC water line replacement.
New York City stopped allowing lead service lines in 1961, so a building older than that may still have one. If yours does, we replace it in full, in copper, from the city main to the meter, with a new no-lead brass curb valve. Replacing half a lead line leaves the other half in the ground.
The digging is the quick part. The permits set the calendar.
Our customers took these photos on recent water main jobs in New York City and posted them with their Google reviews.
“The Lady Liberty crew came on time with lots of excavation equipment, explained their work plan to me and cautiously worked throughout the day to complete the installation of the new water pipe into my house. Hard working crew, left the street and sidewalk repaired and clean as was before.”
Nick K., Google review
“The crew worked hard and multiple holes were dug up. My water main pipe was replaced in one day with minimal damages to my driveway pavers. They cleaned up after they were done.”
Inna G., Google review
We work across Manhattan: Harlem, East Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Morningside Heights, Hamilton Heights, Manhattanville, Midtown, Midtown East, Midtown West, Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, Hudson Yards, Flatiron, Union Square, Gramercy, Murray Hill, Kips Bay, NoMad, Greenwich Village, West Village, East Village, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, Lower East Side, Chinatown, Little Italy, Tribeca, Financial District, Battery Park City.
We also work in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx.
The owner, from the tap on the city main, through the curb valve under the sidewalk, to the meter in the building. DEP maintains the main in the street.
If DEP has sent a 3-Day or 10-Day Notice, it has found a leak on the owner's side. Without a notice, a wet patch at the curb that does not dry, low pressure and a jump in the bill all point to the service line. We locate the leak before anything is dug.
Yes. We find the leak the notice is about, file the permits and make the repair. See NYC DEP notices and compliance for how the notices work.
Sometimes. The city treats recently resurfaced streets as protected: opening one needs DOT approval, comes with stricter restoration rules, and some work has to wait. We check a street's status before we quote, so you know before anything is scheduled.
Around the DOT permit, which sets the hours and sometimes the days we can work, and around the building. You get the schedule before we start.
Yes. Fire sprinkler mains are one of our services, and on a larger building we look at both lines together.
Water main trouble in Manhattan? Call (718) 965-3500. A person answers, 24/7/365.
Sewer trouble instead? See sewer repair in Manhattan.
A broken water main or water main break in Manhattan can shut down a building and a block at once. Our crews respond 24/7, after hours and overnight, to stop the water loss, secure the site, and handle DEP and DOT coordination while the street is open.
