Frozen water lines: who pays to thaw them, by city
When frost goes deep, the buried water line between the street main and the house can freeze. Most cities split the line at the curb stop: the city handles the street side and the owner pays for the private side. Some thaw the whole line for a flat fee or the first time free, and some credit customers they ask to keep water running.
16 cities and utilities in 8 states, each checked against official sources in November 2026.
| City | Rule | Key detail | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmer City, IL | B-box (curb stop) to the home. | Farmer City makes the homeowner responsible for frozen lines from the B-box to the home | City thaws or credits |
| Hampshire, IL | $150 flat thawing fee. | Hampshire charges a flat $150 to thaw a freeze on the owner's section of pipe, waives it if the freeze is on t | City thaws or credits |
| Boswell, IN | $50, plus outside help charges. | Boswell charges $50 to thaw a frozen service line or meter, plus the cost of any outside help it needs. | City thaws or credits |
| Haring Township, MI | Run one faucet at a pencil-lead-thin cold stream. | Haring Township issued a run-water advisory in January 2026, asking customers to run one cold faucet at a stre | City thaws or credits |
| Negaunee, MI | Shut-off to the house and under private property. | Negaunee leaves frozen pipes on private property to the owner, but owners can have city crews thaw them for ha | City thaws or credits |
| Aitkin, MN | Curb stop to the building. | Aitkin makes the owner responsible when a service line freezes between the curb stop and the building | City side vs. owner side |
| Columbia Heights, MN | Meter to the water main. | Columbia Heights makes owners responsible for thawing frozen water service lines, from the meter to the main. | Owner responsible for the whole line |
| Golden Valley, MN | Corporation stop to curb stop. | Golden Valley owns and maintains the water service from the corporation stop at the main to the curb stop | City side vs. owner side |
| Grand Rapids, MN | Main to curb stop, thawed by Public Utilities. | Grand Rapids Public Utilities first tries to thaw the line between the water main and the curb stop | City side vs. owner side |
| Hopkins, MN | House to the water main, including both stops. | Hopkins makes property owners responsible for the whole water service, from the house to the main in the stree | Owner responsible for the whole line |
| Lake Park, MN | Building to the water main. | Lake Park makes thawing a frozen water service lateral the sole responsibility of the property owner, from the | Owner responsible for the whole line |
| Bismarck, ND | Restoring water from the main to the meter after extensive frost. | Bismarck's Service Line Repair Fund covers restoring water from the city main to the meter when deep frost fre | City thaws or credits |
| Mount Vernon, OH | Up to 900 cubic feet per billing unit. | Mount Vernon credits customers who let water run in a thin stream during freezing weather, up to 900 cubic fee | City thaws or credits |
| Rutland, VT | $75 flat if the freeze is on the owner's side; waived on the city side. | Rutland's public works department will thaw a frozen service for a flat $75 during business hours if the freez | City thaws or credits |
| Jackson, WI | Main to curb stop. | The Village of Jackson maintains the water service from the main to the curb stop | City side vs. owner side |
| Madison, WI | At the utility's expense if the lateral is electrically conductive. | Madison Water Utility pays for the first thaw if your lateral can be thawed electrically | City thaws or credits |
Step by step
- Check other taps and ask neighbors. If the whole street is out, it is a main break, not your line.
- Call the water utility first. Many will find where the freeze is before you hire anyone.
- Ask whether the city thaws lines, what it charges, and whether the first thaw is free.
- If you hire a plumber, tell the city first. Some only share costs when they were notified.
- Once thawed, run a pencil-thin stream of cold water if the utility asks, and ask about a bill credit.
What it costs
City thaw fees run from free to about $150 during business hours, with after-hours work billed at labor rates. A private plumber or thawing contractor often charges several hundred dollars, and digging up a line costs far more.
Full guide: who pays to thaw a frozen water line.
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