Damaged Water Mains & Pipes

Water Infrastructure Emergencies

Call us for
  • Water main breaks
  • Open hydrants
  • Neighborhood flooding
  • Water in basement

Our hotline takes calls and dispatches crews to investigate and/or fix problems.

Philadelphia Water Department

Customer Hotline:
(215) 685-6300

When water mains burst or leak, the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) will work to restore water service as safely and quickly as possible. Here is what we do:

How we respond to a water main break:

When you report a water emergency, we collect your contact information and description of the emergency.

1 IDENTIFY

An inspector investigates the problem: What type of leak? How urgent? Is it possibly from a main or a customer water pipe?

We may shut down the water to isolate the emergency. Specialized crews assist with the shutdown of large water main breaks.

2 CONTAIN

An emergency crew shuts down the main if it is causing damage or flooding and a repair crew is assigned.

A PWD public information officer may provide updates to the media, while a Field Supervisor on-site keeps affected property owners informed. Generally, this occurs when there are multiple properties without water, significant damage, and traffic disruptions.

3 PINPOINT

If we need to dig, a call is made to PA One Call, and other utilities are marked, including gas, electric, and other lines.

If the leak is on PWD’s water main, we will arrange to have utilities marked and take steps to protect the public’s safety.

4 REPAIR

If it’s our main, the repair crew digs, repairs or replaces the damaged pipe, and coordinates arrangements for traffic.

Repair times may vary. However, the average repair time for a water main break, barring unforeseen circumstances, ranges between 8 and 12 hours.

5 RESTORE

Repair crews flush the line, disinfect the main if needed, and patch the road.

Risk Management claims representatives can help customers with potential damage claims. Leave a voicemail at (215) 683-1700.

Your property:
How to respond when there’s a problem.

A licensed plumber must do the work.

PWD is not responsible for your plumbing.

mockup of a pickup truck with a service body bed and cap, with an illustration of a bit of pipe and PLUMBING written on the side

If plumbing connecting your home to our water mains and sewers break or your pipes freeze, you must have it fixed.

Failure to address problems can damage your home and your block.

Need repairs?

If you receive a Notice of Defect, we offer a five-year, zero-interest loan to help cover the cost of repairs.

Call (215) 685-4901 or submit a pre-application at water.phila.gov/HELP

diagram illustrating the drinking water and sewer connections under a typical home (in a combined sewer area) - the water and sewer mains running under the street, and the storm drain at the curb are PWD's responsibility, while all the pipes, vents, and valves in the home and connecting it to the mains are the responsibility of the property owner.

Note: This diagram shows a combined sanitary and storm sewer. Some areas of Philadelphia have separate sewers.

Customer’s Responsibilities

  1. Sanitary and Stormwater Lateral
  2. Slant
  3. Vent Cover
  4. Vent Pipe
  5. Curb Trap
  6. Main House Drain
  1. Ferrule
  2. Water Service Pipe
  3. Water Supply Pipe
  4. Curb Stop
  5. Curb Stop Box
  6. Supply Valves
  7. Water Meter

PWD’s Responsibilities

  1. Water Main
  2. Combined Storm and Sanitary Sewer
  3. Stormwater Inlet
Clean water plumbing outside the home:

The ferrule (J) connects the water main to your underground water service pipe (K), which connects to the curb stop (M). Access to the curb stop must be maintained through its box and cover (N), usually located near the curb line in front of your home. Next, water flows through a water supply pipe (L) and into your home.

Clean water plumbing inside the home:

The supply valves (O) are located on either side of your water meter (P). The Water Department owns the water meter, but homeowners are responsible for keeping the meter and valves in good condition and accessible at all times.

Wastewater plumbing:

The homeowner must maintain household waste pipes and all pipes leading up to the sewer. This includes the main house drain (I), curb trap (H), sanitary and stormwater lateral (D), slant (E), vent cover (F), and vent pipe (G).

Work near your home can sometimes allow sediment and debris to enter your pipes.

Tips for clearing debris from your pipes after street repairs:
  1. Run your cold water faucets for several minutes in order to release air and remove debris from the system.
  2. Use your bathtub, laundry faucets, or a garden hose when possible for flushing your system, as they generally have a larger capacity and do not have aerator screens to trap debris.
  3. Clean aerators (faucet screens) to remove debris that might clog the water fixture.
diagram of a faucet with an aerator, expanded to show the aerator housing screws off to reveal the aerator (also called screen) and a washer between it and the body of the faucet.

PWD Customer Hotline:

Available for Emergencies 24/7

(215) 685-6300

To sign up for PWD alerts & notifications, visit water.phila.gov/signup

Follow us on social media for emergency updates: @PhillyH2O

Visit our website at water.phila.gov