O'Fallon, MO Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Repair duty
- Property owner, at own expense
- Covers
- Water service line, sewer lateral, private mains
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 7191, March 13, 2025
- Assistance option
- City water/sewer lateral insurance program
- Shutoff fee
- Charged when City turns off/on for fault
Summary
O'Fallon requires property owners to promptly repair any break or leak in their water service line, sewer lateral or private water/sewer main between the City main and the building, at their own expense. Section 700.080 also bars customers from negligently or willfully wasting water through leaks or damaged pipes.
A. The City requires that any break or leak in a water service line, sewer lateral or private water/sewer main, from the City's main to the building be promptly repaired at the expense of the property owner. This applies to all properties except for certain residential properties where the City's water service line insurance program or sewer lateral insurance program may provide assistance to repair the water service line or sewer lateral from the main to the home. B. No customer, owner, tenant or other person in charge of any premises provided with water connection shall negligently or willfully permit or commit any waste of water or sewage by leakage, useless or careless discharge of flow, freezing of pipes or other fixtures, etc.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4860992; v58 updated 2026-05-14; through 05-14-2026).
Full Breakdown
080, adopted by Ordinance No. 7191 in March 2025, places repair responsibility for a leaking water service line, sewer lateral or private water/sewer main squarely on the property owner, running from the City's main to the building. The only relief comes from the City's optional water service line insurance program or sewer lateral insurance program, available for certain residential properties, which can help cover the cost of repairing the line from the main to the home. The Section separately makes it unlawful for any customer, owner, tenant or other person in charge of a premises with a water connection to negligently or willfully permit or commit waste of water or sewage through leakage, careless discharge, frozen pipes or other damaged fixtures.
080(C) authorizes a fee for both shutting off and later turning the service back on. 170, which puts the same prompt-repair duty on sewer lateral breaks specifically, while reserving the City's option to repair a lateral break under a roadway or easement and bill the property owner for it.
Violations & Fines
Failing to promptly repair a leaking service line, lateral or private main, or negligently wasting water through unrepaired leaks or frozen pipes, violates Section 700.080 and falls under the Code's general penalty in Section 100.010: a fine of up to five hundred dollars, up to three months in jail, or both. The City can also shut off water to the property and charge a reconnection fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays to fix a leaking water line in O'Fallon?
Does O'Fallon offer help paying for a water line repair?
Can O'Fallon shut off my water over a leak?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in O'Fallon
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