The state of Mississippi may be named after the mighty river that, in turn, is named for an American Indian word meaning “great waters” — but it won’t be so great when enough water has pooled up in your lawn to launch a paddleboat. If there’s an unexpected overnight freeze, or if the roots of one of the Magnolia State’s eponymous trees run afoul of underground pipes, damage to your water service line could spell trouble for M-I-crooked-letter-crooked-letter-I-crooked-letter-crooked-letter-I-humpback-humpback-I homeowners. On the bright side, from Tupelo clear down to Biloxi, Mississippers pay significantly less on average than their fellow Americans for water line repair and replacement.

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Your exterior water service line carries water from the public water main into your home. But make no mistake: Once the pipes run under your property, they’re your responsibility — so you’re likely on the hook for any repair or replacement costs.

How deep your pipes are buried deeply impacts the price you pay for these services. Water service lines are buried as deep as local building codes require — but usually, the depth is determined by the frost line in your area. And the deeper the technician must dig to get to your broken or otherwise compromised line, the higher the cost.

The nationwide average water service line depth is 4.58 feet, but in Mississippi, water lines are roughly half that, at 2.52 feet. For further context, in f-f-f-freezing Minnesota, pipe depth is more than 8 feet.

Repair and replacement costs also vary depending on where you live. The national average for diagnosis is $222, for repair is $1,039 and for replacement is $3,581.

Below, you’ll find average service prices based on aggregated HomeServe data reported by our network of contractors across Mississippi, which should give you an approximation of how much you’ll pay to fix your out-of-commission water service line.

Water Service Line Diagnosis: $241

Before any work can begin, the technician will need to come out and run some tests to see what’s wrong with your system. In Mississippi, the fee for this is 9% more than the national average.

Water Service Line Repair: $835

A whole host of things can cause trouble with your exterior water service line — from invading tree roots to clogs to general wear and tear. Whatever’s up with your system, the repair process will likely start with excavation to expose the pipe. Depending on your situation, the technician may need to clear a blockage, find a leak or fix the pipe — and, of course, fill the hole back in.

Mississippi’s average repair price is about 20% less than the nation’s.

Water Service Line Replace: $2,493

Small sections of leaky or broken pipe can be repaired, but massive clogs or fully compromised pipes might necessitate a full replacement. Water service line replacements cost Mississippians 30% less than the average American.

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• How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Water Service Line?
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• Prevent Frozen-Pipe Problems by Knowing These Things Down Cold

Video produced and directed by Eric Rossi: