Leak Detection in Alpharetta, GA

Most Alpharetta homes went up between 1980 and 1999, about 57% of them, and the median build year is 1996. That puts many original water heaters, supply lines, shutoff valves and shower valves at 25 to 45 years old, which is when slow leaks begin to show up. Fulton County Public Works provides both water and sewer here, drawing from the Chattahoochee through the Tom Lowe plant in Johns Creek.

What to do now

1. Turn off every faucet, appliance and irrigation zone.
2. Read the Fulton County meter, wait an hour without using water and read it again.
3. If it moved, close the house shutoff and recheck. Still moving means the service line from the meter; stopped means the leak is inside.
4. Check the water heater pan, under sinks and around toilets.
5. For a drinking water emergency in north Fulton, call the county at 770-640-3040. For sewer problems after hours, the North Fulton line is 404-612-3061.

Symptom and likely cause

Cost factors

• How quickly the leak can be isolated
• Slab, basement or crawl space construction, and how finished the space is
• Detection tools needed
• The repair and any city trade permit; Alpharetta runs an online building and trade permit portal, with inspections through the city's Inspections Division

Fulton County is responsible for repairs to the water service line from the main to the meter, and the owner is responsible from the meter to the house. On the sewer side, the owner is responsible for the lateral from the home to the property line, even if a blockage sits in the right-of-way. Fulton County also publishes a lead service line inventory at fcpwleadcopper.com, where residents can check or report their line material.

When you call, you'll be connected with an independent plumber who works in Alpharetta. Have your two meter readings and a recent bill ready, and mention whether the house is on a slab or has a basement. If the leak is in a slab, ask about both a direct repair and rerouting the line through walls or the attic.