Emergency Plumbing in Buffalo, NY

Who to call in Buffalo

Leaks on the street side of the water meter, a broken main or no water on the whole street are for the water utility: in Buffalo that is Buffalo Water. Check its website or your water bill for its emergency line.

Leaks, backups and failures on your side of the meter, inside the house or in your sewer lateral, are a plumber's job. Call us and we connect you with an independent, licensed plumbing company that handles emergency calls in Buffalo; when they can arrive depends on that company and the time of day.

Reporting a water emergency in Buffalo

• Buffalo Water says City of Buffalo residents are responsible for the entire water service line, from inside the basement or crawl space all the way to the water main, including replacement under the street and street repair if required. The City is only responsible for the water main, not individual service line repair or replacement. [3]
• Buffalo Water says repairing or replacing a residential service line can cost from several hundred dollars for a simple repair to several thousand for full replacement with roadway, sidewalk and landscaping restoration. No one is required to buy a service line contract, and Buffalo Water and Veolia say customers are under no obligation to join any such program. [3]
• Buffalo Water states that property owners are responsible for repairing or replacing their water service line if it develops a leak, covering the entire underground pipe from the water main on the street to the basement or crawl space. The City is only responsible for the water main, not individual service lines. [3]
• Buffalo Water notes the cost to repair or replace a residential service line can range from several hundred dollars for a simple repair to several thousand dollars for complete replacement, including restoring the roadway, sidewalk and landscaping. Its customer service and billing office at 281 Exchange Street can be reached at 716-847-1065. [3]

Other common plumbing calls in Buffalo

• Drain Cleaning: original cast iron drains in century-old homes narrow with buildup.

Buffalo facts behind this page

• All of Buffalo's water comes from Lake Erie, the shallowest Great Lake, where water turns over roughly every 2.6 years. [1]
• The median home in Buffalo was built in 1938. [2]
• About 90% of Buffalo's housing units were built before 1980, the era of galvanized steel supply pipe, cast iron drains and clay sewer laterals. [2]
• Buffalo Water says City of Buffalo residents are responsible for the entire water service line, from inside the basement or crawl space all the way to the water main, including replacement under the street and street repair if required. The City is only responsible for the water main, not individual service line repair or replacement. [3]
• Buffalo Water says repairing or replacing a residential service line can cost from several hundred dollars for a simple repair to several thousand for full replacement with roadway, sidewalk and landscaping restoration. No one is required to buy a service line contract, and Buffalo Water and Veolia say customers are under no obligation to join any such program. [3]
• Buffalo Water states that property owners are responsible for repairing or replacing their water service line if it develops a leak, covering the entire underground pipe from the water main on the street to the basement or crawl space. The City is only responsible for the water main, not individual service lines. [3]
• Buffalo Water notes the cost to repair or replace a residential service line can range from several hundred dollars for a simple repair to several thousand dollars for complete replacement, including restoring the roadway, sidewalk and landscaping. Its customer service and billing office at 281 Exchange Street can be reached at 716-847-1065. [3]