Emergency Plumbing in Lincoln, NE

Who to call in Lincoln

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 Lincoln that is City of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities. 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 Lincoln; when they can arrive depends on that company and the time of day.

Reporting a water emergency in Lincoln

• In Lincoln, the water service pipe runs from the main in the city right-of-way onto the property and has two valves: a curb stop in a curb box near the property line and a valve next to the meter. Repairs to anything on the service other than the meter are the property owner's responsibility. [3]
• Lincoln Water System says keeping the valve at the meter working ensures you can shut off water in an emergency such as a pipe break. If that valve does not work in an emergency, call 402-441-7571 so Lincoln Water System can shut off the water at the curb stop. [3]
• The City of Lincoln's Lincoln Wastewater System, part of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities, is responsible for operating and maintaining the sanitary sewer collection system and water resource recovery facilities. Its page lists 402-441-7961 both for customer questions and for after-hours emergencies, and 402-441-7551 for customer billing questions, with offices at 2400 Theresa Street. [4]
• Lincoln Wastewater System's property owner information says sanitary sewer backups have many causes, including fats, oils and grease, tree roots and improper disposal of garbage. It lists backup prevention options for homeowners: a check valve, floor drain plug, floor drain standpipe and overhead sewer, and warns that illegal sump pump connections rob the sanitary sewer of capacity and can lead to backups. [5]

Other common plumbing calls in Lincoln

• Water Softener Installation: at about 11 grains per gallon, many homes soften to reduce scale.
• Water Heater Repair: hard water builds sediment in tank heaters.

Lincoln facts behind this page

• Lincoln's water is groundwater from wells along the Platte River near Ashland, about 20 miles northeast of the city; total hardness averaged about 11.2 grains per gallon (192 ppm) in 2024. [1]
• The median home in Lincoln was built in 1984. [2]
• About 45% of Lincoln's housing units were built before 1980, the era of galvanized steel supply pipe, cast iron drains and clay sewer laterals. [2]
• In Lincoln, the water service pipe runs from the main in the city right-of-way onto the property and has two valves: a curb stop in a curb box near the property line and a valve next to the meter. Repairs to anything on the service other than the meter are the property owner's responsibility. [3]
• Lincoln Water System says keeping the valve at the meter working ensures you can shut off water in an emergency such as a pipe break. If that valve does not work in an emergency, call 402-441-7571 so Lincoln Water System can shut off the water at the curb stop. [3]
• The City of Lincoln's Lincoln Wastewater System, part of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities, is responsible for operating and maintaining the sanitary sewer collection system and water resource recovery facilities. Its page lists 402-441-7961 both for customer questions and for after-hours emergencies, and 402-441-7551 for customer billing questions, with offices at 2400 Theresa Street. [4]
• Lincoln Wastewater System's property owner information says sanitary sewer backups have many causes, including fats, oils and grease, tree roots and improper disposal of garbage. It lists backup prevention options for homeowners: a check valve, floor drain plug, floor drain standpipe and overhead sewer, and warns that illegal sump pump connections rob the sanitary sewer of capacity and can lead to backups. [5]