St. Louis, MO Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Public-side repairs
- City Water Division repairs at no cost
- Age threshold
- Service line must exceed one year
- Eligible accounts
- Flat-rate or ≤6-unit metered residential
- Funding source
- $3.00 quarterly surcharge on water bills
- Private-side rule
- Owner must repair or risk shutoff
Summary
St. Louis's Water Division must repair a leaking underground service line, from the water main through the T-head valve and stop box, free of charge when it's over a year old, serves a small residential account, and the leak sits in a public street, alley, or easement.
Whenever any underground service pipe...to and including the service line, T-head valve, and stop box and its cover, which line exceeds one year in age and is found to be leaking...and the water assessment is billed to any flat rate residential or metered account having six or less dwelling units, it shall be the duty of the City Water Division to repair same, if the leak is located within any public street, alley, right-of-way or easement.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 11).
Full Breakdown
Under Revised Code § 23.04.070, the City Water Division repairs the public-side portion of a leaking service line, from the water main to the T-head valve and stop box, at no cost to owners of flat-rate residential accounts or metered accounts with six or fewer dwelling units, once the line is over a year old and the leak sits in a public street, alley, right-of-way, or easement. The program is funded by a quarterly leak-repair surcharge on qualifying water bills (§ 23.04.075). Past the T-head valve, repairs on the private side are the owner's, agent's, or occupant's responsibility; refusing or neglecting immediate repair lets the Water Commissioner shut off service, without notice for emergencies.
Violations & Fines
Refusing or neglecting to repair a leaking private-side service line lets the Water Commissioner shut off water without notice for emergencies; restoring service requires paying the disconnection cost under § 23.04.071.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who fixes a leaking water service line in St. Louis?
What happens if I don't fix a leak on my side of the line?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis
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