A slab leak in Redlands is a water supply line leaking beneath the concrete floor of the house, and that pipe is the owner's to repair. The City of Redlands Municipal Utilities & Engineering Department provides the water, so it is the call for problems at the meter or in the street. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Redlands.
Who do I call in Redlands for a leak?
The City of Redlands provides drinking water to Redlands, Mentone, parts of Crafton Hills and San Timoteo Canyon, and a small part of San Bernardino. If water is coming up at the meter box, the sidewalk or the street, call the city's water customer service; the number published in its 2022 water quality report is (909) 798-7516. If a meter test shows the leak is inside or under the house, the repair belongs to the owner and a plumber does the work.
Could Redlands water be causing the leak?
Unlikely to be the main cause. Redlands water is a mix of Santa Ana River and Mill Creek surface water, Bunker Hill Basin groundwater and, at peak demand, State Water Project water. The city's 2022 report lists groundwater hardness averaging 152 mg/L and treated surface water averaging 135 mg/L. That level of hardness builds scale in water heaters and at fixtures, but buried pipe usually fails from abrasion against rock or rebar, an aging joint, or pressure. The city also reports no lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement service lines in its distribution system.
What does fixing it involve?
First the leak is confirmed and located: hot and cold lines are isolated and pressure tested, then acoustic equipment and sometimes a thermal camera narrow the spot. From there the choice is a spot repair, where a small section of slab is opened and the failed pipe replaced, or a reroute, where new pipe runs through the attic or walls and the old buried line is abandoned. Reroutes make sense for long runs or pipe that has leaked before. Plumbing permits come from the City of Redlands Building & Safety Division at its One Stop Permit Center on Cajon Street, (909) 798-7536, with an online portal for starting applications.
A Redlands note
Many Redlands homes are on slab foundations, and housing age varies across the city, so judge your house by its own history. Cold winter mornings are a good time to check for a hot-side leak, since a warm patch stands out clearly on a cool slab. If you find one, don't wait long: water under concrete erodes the base and soaks into flooring.
Slab Leak Repair questions in Redlands
Water is bubbling up in the yard near the meter. Whose problem is that?
Does hard water cause slab leaks?
Is PEX under or around the slab better than copper?
Will homeowners insurance pay for a slab leak?
More plumbing services in Redlands
Slab Leak Repair nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: