Water Line Repair in Brookhaven, GA

Brookhaven's water system belongs to DeKalb County Watershed Management, which is responsible for the line from the main through the meter. The pipe from the meter to the house is the property owner's, and changing it requires a City of Brookhaven permit. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Brookhaven.

Can the City of Brookhaven fix my water line?

No. The city is clear that DeKalb County Watershed Management owns and operates Brookhaven's water and sewer systems, including mains, valves, hydrants and meters, and the city cannot maintain, repair or replace them. DeKalb's service line ownership sheet splits the job at the meter: the county handles the pipe from the main in the street through the meter, and the owner handles everything from the meter to the connection with the home's plumbing. Brookhaven also reminds residents that systems on their own property are theirs. So a leak in the meter pit is a call to DeKalb at 770-270-6243, and wet ground between the meter and your foundation is a call to a plumber.

What is my line likely made of?

DeKalb's inventory found no known lead pipes in the county-owned part of the system, but it lists the customer side as unknown and asks owners to identify it. That matters most in Brookhaven's older pockets. About 30% of the city's homes were built before 1980, including roughly 9% from the 1950s, in places like Historic Brookhaven and Lynwood Park. Those houses can still have galvanized steel or a patchwork of copper and plastic on the private side. Newer construction along Peachtree Road and around Town Brookhaven is far more likely to have plastic or copper that fails at a fitting rather than from age. A plumber can confirm the material where it enters the house, and the information is useful to report back to DeKalb.

Do I need a permit, and what about irrigation?

Brookhaven's permit FAQ says swapping a fixture in the same place doesn't need a permit, but changes to plumbing lines do. Replacing or rerouting a service line falls on the permit side, applied for through the city's online portal. If the property has a separate irrigation tap, DeKalb requires a backflow prevention assembly tested every year, so a new line should leave that device in place and working.

Call now to be connected with a local plumber in Brookhaven.

(404) 637-2993

One local note

Many Brookhaven lots have mature hardwoods, sloped yards and long driveways between the street and the house. Ask the plumber whether boring a new line under those obstacles would cost less than digging and restoring them.

Water Line Repair questions in Brookhaven

Who handles a leak inside the meter box?

DeKalb Watershed owns the meter and the pipe up to it, and only DeKalb or its contractors may work on them. Call 770-270-6243 for water in the meter pit.

How do I find out what my service line is made of?

DeKalb found no known lead in its own pipes but lists the customer side as unknown. A plumber can identify yours where it enters the house, especially in pre-1980 Brookhaven homes.

Is a permit needed to repair or replace a water service line here?

Yes. Brookhaven says fixture swaps in the same location need no permit, but changes to plumbing lines do, so service line replacement goes through the city's permit portal.

Can a new water line go in without trenching the whole yard?

Often. Boring or pulling a new line between two small pits can spare mature trees, sloped landscaping and long driveways, if soil and access allow.