Trenchless water line replacement
When the old line runs under a driveway, a patio or a big oak, a new one can often be bored underneath instead of dug through.
Installing a new water line underground by boring or pulling pipe, with small pits at each end instead of a continuous trench.
How it works
Two small pits are dug: one near the meter and one near the house. A boring tool is driven underground between them, and the new pipe is pulled back through the bore. In some cases the new pipe is pulled through the path of the old one.
The lawn, driveway and landscaping between the pits stay in place.
When trenchless is a good fit
- The route crosses a driveway, sidewalk, patio or retaining wall
- Mature trees sit along the line
- Expensive landscaping or irrigation would be torn up by a trench
- The line is long and only part of it is under concrete
When it may not work
- Very rocky ground, common around Birmingham and Wetumpka, can stop a bore
- Loose sand near the coast can collapse around the tool
- Other buried utilities in the path
- A short run across open lawn, where a trench is simpler
Common questions
Is trenchless more expensive?
It depends. Equipment can cost more, but avoiding concrete and landscaping repair often makes the total lower.
Can part of the line be trenched and part bored?
Yes. That is common.
Repairs by city
Water coming up between the meter and the house?
Call to talk with an independent water line repair provider serving your part of Alabama. Ask about price and timing, then decide.