Yard leaks

Water Leaking Into Your Yard From a Neighbor in Arlington: Whose Leak Is It?

A wet patch along the fence, a sinking spot near the property line or water running across your driveway on a dry day can come from three places: your pipes, your neighbor's pipes or a city line. Before anyone digs, you need to know whose leak it is. Here is how to check, who usually pays in Arlington, and how leak detection settles the question.

By the Arlington Leak Pros team · November 11, 2026

Plumber checking an open water meter box beside a soggy lawn and puddle in front of a brick home in Arlington, TX

Start with two meter tests. Turn off every tap and the sprinklers at your home and watch your water meter for 15 minutes. If it moves, the leak is likely on your side. If it stays still but the yard keeps getting wetter, ask your neighbor to run the same test. If neither meter moves, call the city. Water line leak detection costs about $200 to $500.

Arlington lots are close together, and many homes share a fence line, a slope and sometimes a meter bank by the curb. Clay soil also spreads water sideways, so a leak can surface several feet from the pipe that failed. That is why guessing is risky. If water is pooling now, (817) 285-5426.

How can you tell if a yard leak is yours or your neighbor's?

Use your water meter first. With everything off, a moving leak indicator means water is flowing through your meter, so the leak is on your property. If your meter is still and the wet spot keeps growing, the water is coming from somewhere else: a neighbor's line, their sprinklers, a pool or a city pipe.

Shut everything off. Faucets, toilets, the ice maker, the water softener and the sprinkler controller.
Read your meter. Watch the small leak dial or flashing icon for 15 minutes. Take a photo at the start and end.
Look at the wet spot. Note when it is wettest. Morning only can point to a neighbor's sprinkler schedule.
Ask your neighbor to test their meter. Be friendly. Most people want to know if they have a leak too.
Call the city if both meters are still. Water at the curb or street can be a city main or service line.

Our guide to a water leak detection Arlington homeowners use to explain a high bill shows the same meter test step by step.

Which clues point to a neighbor's leak?

Water that only shows up on your neighbor's watering days, a wet strip that starts at the fence and fades toward your house, water flowing downhill from their side, or a sudden drop in their water pressure are all clues. A pool next door that keeps needing water is another. Clues help, but only testing proves where the water starts.

What you see	Likely source
Wet only on certain mornings	A neighbor's sprinkler zone or broken head
Wet strip strongest at the fence	A line on the neighbor's side
Wet near the curb or sidewalk	Meter, city service line or main
Wet near your foundation, your meter moving	Your water line or a slab leak
Chlorine smell, neighbor's pool level dropping	Pool plumbing next door

Sprinklers cause a lot of these cases. See our page on sprinkler and irrigation leaks for how to test a zone.

Who pays to fix the leak in Arlington?

In general, the owner of the pipe pays for its repair. The City of Arlington typically maintains the water main and the line up to the meter. The homeowner usually owns the line from the meter to the house and any sprinklers. If a neighbor's pipe leaks, fixing it is normally their job. Confirm details with Arlington Water Utilities.

Damage is a separate question from the repair. If water from a neighbor's leak harms your lawn, fence or foundation, your homeowners insurance and theirs may both get involved. Take dated photos, keep your meter readings and save any leak detection report. Our meter box guide explains who fixes a meter box leak when the problem sits right at the curb.

Your side of the meter: you pay for detection and repair.
Neighbor's side: their line, their repair.
Street, main or city side of the meter: report it to the city.
HOA common areas: check your HOA rules for shared lines and irrigation.

How does leak detection prove where the water comes from?

A leak detection tech tests each line on your property with pressure and listening tools, then traces any leak with acoustic sensors and a line locator. If your lines hold pressure, the report shows the leak is not yours. That written report helps when you talk to a neighbor, an HOA or an insurance company.

A typical visit for a buried line takes one to two hours. The tech isolates your house line from your sprinklers, checks the meter, and listens along the pipe route. Read more on waterline leak detection Arlington homes need when the leak is underground, or see what happens on a full leak detection Arlington visit.

Service	Approx. cost in Arlington
Basic leak detection	$150 to $400
Water line leak detection	$200 to $500
Slab leak detection	$250 to $600
Pool or spa leak detection	$250 to $550

What should you do while the source is unknown?

Keep people and pets off soft ground, mark the wet area, and photograph it daily. Turn off your sprinklers so they are ruled out. Do not dig near the meter or the property line, because gas, cable and water lines run there. Call 811 before any digging, and get the source confirmed before paying for repairs.

Note the time of day the area is wettest.
Check your bill history for a jump in usage.
Look for new cracks in your driveway or foundation near the wet area.
Talk to your neighbor early. A shared test saves both of you money.

Whether the leak turns out to be yours or not, a fast answer protects your foundation. Book leak detection Arlington TX homeowners call 24/7 and we will tell you whose leak it is before anyone digs.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if a leak is on my side or my neighbor's?

Turn off all water at your home and watch your meter for 15 minutes. If it moves, the leak is likely yours. If it stays still and the yard keeps getting wet, the source is likely a neighbor's line, sprinkler or a city pipe.

Who is responsible for a water leak in my yard from a neighbor?

Usually the owner of the leaking pipe. A neighbor's supply line or sprinkler is their repair. Pipes on the street side of the meter are generally the city's. Damage to your property may involve both homeowners' insurance policies.

Will the City of Arlington fix a leak near the meter?

The city typically handles leaks on the main and the line up to the meter. Leaks after the meter, toward the house, are usually the homeowner's. Call Arlington Water Utilities to report a leak at the curb or street.

Can a neighbor's leak damage my foundation?

Yes. Arlington's clay soil swells when wet and shrinks when dry, so a steady leak near your slab can cause movement and cracks. Get the source found quickly and document everything.

How much does water line leak detection cost in Arlington?

Water line leak detection costs about $200 to $500 in Arlington. Basic leak detection runs about $150 to $400. The repair is quoted after the leak is found.