Water Main Services in NYC
Licensed & Insured | GC LIC #626285
A failing water main doesn't wait for business hours — and neither do we. When your service line is leaking, your pressure is dropping, or DEP has taped a 3-Day Notice to your door, Hattan Contracting runs the whole job. We coordinate a licensed NYC master plumber to perform the regulated water-line work, manage the DEP and DOT permits, run the excavation and street restoration, and hand you back a closed-out, compliant property.
Full-service contracting. Built for New York.
Project-managed end to end.
Licensed & Insured | GC LIC #626285 | All Five Boroughs
When You Need Water Main Work — Fast
NYC water mains and private service lines fail in predictable ways. Call us the moment you see:
A DEP 3-Day or 10-Day Notice — the clock is running. Per NYC DEP, if repairs aren't made within three days, the City can shut off your water service and charge a $1,000 shut-off fee.
Low or dropping water pressure across the whole building.
Water surfacing at the curb, sidewalk, or in the street.
Discolored or rusty water — a sign of corrosion in an aging line.
A water-bill spike with no change in usage — the classic hidden-leak signature.
A burst or frozen main after a hard NYC freeze.
How Hattan Runs a Water Main Project
Hattan is a licensed NYC general contractor (GC LIC #626285), and a water main project is exactly the kind of multi-trade, multi-permit, multi-agency job a GC is built to run.
We manage the entire project from first call to closed-out paperwork. We coordinate independently licensed NYC master plumbers to perform the regulated water-line work under their license, file the permits with DEP and DOT, run the excavation and restoration crews, and stay on the job until the street, sidewalk, and surfaces are back to DOT standard.
One contractor accountable for everything. That's the point.
1. Assessment & scope. We inspect the symptoms, pull DEP tap records to confirm line size, material, and age, and tell you straight whether you're looking at a repair or a full replacement.
2. Licensed master plumber coordination. We bring in a licensed NYC master plumber who files the DEP permit and the DOT street-opening permit under their license and bond.
3. Mark-outs & mobilization. We coordinate utility mark-outs — gas, electric, telecom, fiber — and schedule the dig to minimize disruption to your block.
4. Excavation & installation. Our crews open the ground; the licensed master plumber installs the new K-copper service line and tap connection to NYC code.
5. Pressure test & inspection. The line is pressure-tested and the work is presented for DEP inspection.
6. Restoration & close-out. We restore sidewalk, asphalt, and surfaces to DOT standard, then make sure the DEP notice is cleared and the paperwork is done.
Our Process:
A small, isolated leak on a sound copper line can sometimes be repaired. But under NYC plumbing code, lead and galvanized service lines cannot be repaired — they must be replaced.
Lead service lines have been banned in NYC since 1961, so if your line is lead, it's more than six decades old by definition. The compliant fix is a new continuous copper service line from your building to the city main.
We'll coordinate the right call and put both options in writing.
Repair or Replace? Straight Answers.
Lead-to-Copper & the DEP Programs
NYC is accelerating lead service line removal under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), which the EPA finalized in October 2024. The rule generally requires water systems to replace lead service lines within ten years, with compliance beginning November 1, 2027. (The rule is currently under legal challenge, so timelines could shift.)
NYC DEP also runs no-cost lead replacement programs for eligible properties, free replacements when the City disturbs a line during main work, and free lead test kits (call 311). We'll help you check eligibility and coordinate the licensed master plumber to perform the compliant copper upgrade.
Permits, DEP & DOT — Handled
Every street, sidewalk, or grass-strip excavation in NYC requires DEP and DOT permits, and only a Licensed Master Plumber can pull a DEP water permit. We coordinate the LMP who files, and we manage the DOT street-opening permit, inspections, and restoration so nothing stalls.
DEP 3-Day Notice, 10-Day Notice, Cease & Desist — we know the sequence and we move fast.
Insurance & Restoration
A water main failure often comes with collateral damage — flooded basements, undermined sidewalks, interior water damage.
As a full-service GC, Hattan carries the job past the pipe. We coordinate the licensed plumbing repair AND handle the construction restoration and insurance-restoration work that competitors hand off. One contractor, start to finish.
Why Hattan?
Licensed NYC general contractor — GC LIC #626285 — serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
One accountable manager for permits, plumbers, excavation, and restoration.
Licensed master plumbers perform all regulated water-line work under their own license — fully compliant, no shortcuts.
Emergency response when the DEP clock is running.
Restoration under one roof — we don't disappear when the pipe is in.
Water Main FAQ
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Call us at (646) 419-5959 immediately. The notice means a leak was found on your side of the service line and you have three business days to address it. Per NYC DEP, failing to repair in time can lead to a water shut-off and a $1,000 shut-off fee. We coordinate a licensed master plumber to assess, permit, and perform the repair fast, and we manage the dig and restoration.
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No. NYC plumbing code prohibits repairing lead or galvanized service lines — they must be replaced, typically with new K-copper. We'll coordinate the compliant replacement and check whether you qualify for a DEP no-cost lead program.
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The licensed master plumber we coordinate pulls the DEP water permit under their license and DOT bond. Hattan manages the DOT street-opening permit, scheduling, inspections, and restoration.
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The physical work is often 1–2 days once permits are secured; DEP permit processing can add time. Emergency situations are prioritized. We give you a realistic timeline up front.
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All five: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
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NYC water-line work varies with distance to the city main, depth, pipe size, and street type. NYC DEP cites roughly $5,000–$7,000 to repair a water-line break, with full replacements higher. We provide a written estimate before any work begins.
