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Understanding Homeowners Responsibility

Is it My Plumbing or Charlotte Water’s to Maintain?

Where does my private plumbing start?

Property owners maintain all water pipes beginning at the end of the meter, which is the tailpiece for a common 5/8-inch service. Property owners are also responsible for all plumbing, plumbing fixtures, and appliances in their buildings. Likewise, an owner’s responsibility for wastewater pipe (sewer) begins, as a rule of thumb, at the street right-of-way. There may be exceptions. Charlotte Water maintains the water meter, including the meter yoke assembly, meter box, and water and wastewater mains under public streets.

Cross-section diagram of a residential water service connection showing the hydrant line, water main, service line, angle valve, meter box, tail piece, and shut-off valve. A dotted line separates Charlotte Water responsibility which is street to meter, from the homeowner responsibility which is meter to house
Diagram titled Charlotte Water Service Responsibility at top in black font depicts a residential street with a house on the corner, roadway is depicted with green grass on either side of a dark grey roadway. In the distance against a blue sky is a depiction of a city skyline. Above ground is a light grey sidewalk, green shrubs with yellow dots, and a blue one story home with blue roof and window. The ground area is cut away to show a side view: dirt is navy blue and network of sewer lines are dark green with light grey trim. The sewer main is the large pipe underneath the street and is marked Sewer Main in white font; from the house to the curb is the Sewer Lateral section of pipe also marked with white font. Parallel to the sewer main pipe indicated by large blue and grey pipe and white font lettering is the Water Main. Connecting to that is a blue and grey pipe that parallels the Sewer Lateral and it titled the Water Lateral. Immediately below the edge of the side walk closest to the house is a dotted line indicating the area from that line to the street is Charlotte Water Responsibility in black font and to the right of that dotted line towards the house, the black font letters Homeowner Responsibility appears.
Untitled diagram with birds-eye view of a house on a street corner with sidewalks and yard space. House is blue, yard is green, and sidewalks are grey. In house roof the sewer vent is indicated. In the grass below nearby, the Sanitary Sewer Clean Out is marked with a small round circle. On the corner is a blue fire hydrant. and a pipe shows it is connected to the main underneath the street as well. Pipe from the house connects to a meter box indicated by its position between sidewalk and curb, as the pipe continues to the street as well. Above the graphic appears black font italics, We never completed the wastewater describing elements missing from the image.

You also have a backflow prevention device if you have an irrigation system.

Info-graphic titled Charlotte Water Backflow Prevention navy blue font with subtitle in navy blue font, Preventing contaminants from getting into the drinking water supply. Grey flat area and grass y green area suggest a street and lawn next to a home. A sprinkler sprays water on the lawn. Side of house depicts plumbing inside and underground. From under the street, the blue water main connect to the home via a small blue pipe with white font and arrows indicating, One Way Path of Water. This line goes up into the home and enters into a raise section of pipe with 2 valves and 2 titled boxes. White font writing beneath, Backflow Preventer outflows and above ground. The pipe connecting out and away from the backflow preventor returns to underground to a pipe that is connected to the sprinkler. Above the backflow preventor is a thought bubble with 2 sections; one shows the backflow preventor open with water flowing normally, and second the backflow preventer with the value set for auto-close stopping water flow

If you live near Lake Norman, Mt. Island Lake, or Lake Wylie, you may also have a low-pressure sewer system (LPSS) that pumps wastewater to the public system.

Diagram titled Charlotte Water Low-Pressure Sanitary Sewer LPSS in large navy blue font depicts the mechanized system for operating how drain water needs to be pumped from the home to the sewer line in the street when the home is situated downhill and below the sewer main. On the right side of the diagram appears a navy blue house seated on dark green area representing a downhill location. A grey column appears on the side of the house, it is indicated as a vent stack in white font caps. Note all indicators will be in white font caps on this diagram. On the front of the house is a small white rectangle indicated as a Control Box, it is connected via a white line that makes its way through the navy blue area below the house that represents soil. This line connects with a tall, rectangular space called a Pump Basin. This basin is equipped with the following items and equipment: clog preventing check-valve, high level alarm float, on switch float, off switch float, and a grinder pump. A white line indicating a pipe connects from the basin making its way uphill, terminating at street level into a square shape called a Service, Box, the pipe continues through this box and then under the street and into a very large grey pipe indicated as the Pressure Sewer Street Main. Back at the house, there is a green pipe that runs from underneath the house, also connecting to the Service Basin, it is indicated as the Building Drain. Over by where the home's land levels out at street level is a dotted line that runs from the horizon of the diagram across the green field, and straight to the bottom of the diagram through the blue soil. To the right of this dotted line and also to the right of the Service Box, are the words Homeowner Responsibility. To the left of the dotted line including the Service Box the words Charlotte Water Responsibility appear. At the very bottom right of the diagram in a pale blue field appear 2 footnote. The first is relative to the Pump Basin, Pump Basin to be placed on property at location determined by plumber. The second footnote is relative to the Control Box, Control Box has audible and visual high water alarms.
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