Pipe Replacements

Our water distribution system contains more than 2,600 miles of water mains. Replacements are done for various reasons, including repairing or avoiding main breaks, replacing bad pipe, increasing hydrant flow and improving overall area delivery.

If you're signed up with Notify JoCo, you will receive notification by phone, text, or email when WaterOne is working in your neighborhood. In some emergencies, it's not possible to contact all affected customers before work begins, but we do our best to communicate with customers. Also, we do not disturb our customers with courtesy calls late at night or in the wee hours of the morning.

Questions about a project? Check out our Project Updates page. You can also contact Customer Service at 913-895-1800.

Sequence of Work

Pipe replacement projects are done in phases. Every improvement and replacement project is different based on conditions at the project site. Whenever possible, WaterOne tries to coordinate its pipe replacement projects with city road projects to save on cost and disruption to our customers.

  • Prior to starting construction, WaterOne will mark the location of water lines with blue spray paint and the other utilities companies will locate and flag their buried utilities such as natural gas lines and telecommunication lines.
  • No parking signs will be placed at the work site one to two days prior to the start of the project. If necessary, storm water protection materials also will be installed.
  • All traffic plans for the site will have been approved by and coordinated through the city in which the project is located.
  • If the pipe is located under the street (versus an easement to either side of the street), the street will be cut and/or asphalt milled.
  • A trench will be dug.
  • Crews will install the new water main.
  • The new main will be disinfected and pressure-tested.
  • A trained crew member or WaterOne's Water Quality Lab staff will sample test the water.
  • After the new main has passed these tests, crews will return and connect service lines, fire hydrants and fire lines to the new main.
  • Crews will disconnect the old main.
  • Paving will be done per the standards of the local government.
  • Any damage to curbs or landscape will be repaired.
  • Storm water protection materials will be removed.

Water service emergencies, such as a main break in other parts of WaterOne's system may take precedence over replacement projects. Please be aware that workers may leave at a moment's notice to work on those emergencies and may not return the following day.

After the Crews Are Gone

After a main repair, you may see reddish discoloration in your water, caused by small amounts of iron compounds flushing out of the system. These iron compounds pose no threat to health, merely unpleasant. You can get rid of the discoloration by running cold water for a few minutes through a tap without an aerator, such as the bathtub or outside spigot.