Every fall, the Albuquerque sky fills with hundreds of colorful hot air balloons — proving that New Mexico really is the Land of Enchantment. But while your heads are in the clouds, New Mexicans, you should keep in mind that, below your feet, your water service line's working hard to keep water supplied to your home. Just one particularly cold night in the desert or mountains can put stress on this underground pipe, leading to cracks in severe cases. Thankfully, water service line repair and replacement costs in New Mexico are low compared to the national average.

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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. In New Mexico, these lines aren’t buried quite as deep, at only 3.96 feet on average. For 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 the state, 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: $188

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 New Mexico, the fee for this is 15% less than the national average.

Water Service Line Repair: $998

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.

New Mexico’s average repair price is about 4% lower than the nation’s.

Water Service Line Replace: $2,712

Small sections of leaky or broken pipe can be repaired, but massive clogs or fully compromised pipes might necessitate a full replacement. Due in part to how deep your pipes are buried, water service line replacements cost New Mexicans about 24% less than the average American.

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Video produced and directed by Eric Rossi: