In Butner, water and sewer come from SGWASA, and the owner is responsible for everything past the meter, so a leak on the house side is yours to find and fix. A few checks will confirm whether water is escaping, and a plumber can locate the exact spot. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Butner.
Butner's setup
The Town of Butner doesn't run water or sewer; SGWASA, the South Granville Water and Sewer Authority, does, from its headquarters in Butner and its water plant fed by Lake Holt. SGWASA's rules put the service line from its main to the property line, where the meter normally sits, on SGWASA. On the customer side, owners must furnish and maintain a private cut-off valve and a check valve, and keep the service pipe and fixtures in repair and protected from frost at their own expense. Housing here is mostly 1980s to 2000s, with a median build year of 1991 and about 29% built before 1980.
What to do now
- Read the meter twice. With all water off, note the reading, wait an hour and check again.
- Close your private cut-off valve. If the meter stops, the leak is past that valve; if it keeps moving, the leak may be at or before it.
- Test each toilet with food coloring in the tank and watch the bowl for 15 minutes.
- Check the water heater for drips at the fittings and the relief valve discharge pipe.
- Turn off irrigation and retest. SGWASA requires an annually tested backflow assembly on lawn irrigation, and irrigation lines leak often.
- Call SGWASA if water is pooling at the meter box itself.
Symptom guide
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Bill up, meter turning with taps closed | Leak past the meter, often a toilet or hidden line |
| Soggy lawn between meter and house | Service pipe leak on the owner's side |
| Water at the meter box | Meter or connection, which SGWASA handles |
| Discolored water | Often iron or manganese stirred up in pipes, which SGWASA calls aesthetic, not a leak |
| Dripping relief valve line | High pressure or a failing water heater valve |
| Hiss in a wall at night | Pressurized supply line leak |
Cost factors
- Whether the leak is in the yard, under the house or behind finished walls
- Number of tests needed to isolate the source
- Repair scope, including replacing the private cut-off or check valve if it's the problem
- Whether the work needs a permit from Granville County, which handles building permits for Butner
Leak Detection questions in Butner
Who is responsible for a leak between the street and my house?
Can a running toilet really show up on my water bill?
Should I turn off the water while I wait for the plumber?
Why does one part of my yard stay soggy?
More plumbing services in Butner
Leak Detection nearby
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