An Austin homeowner’s plumbing guide.

First, decide who to contact.

Austin Water maintains public water mains; property owners are responsible for private-side service lines and internal plumbing. Its water-leak guidance explains the boundary and links to outage information. Use the official utility reporting channel for a possible public-main issue.

If you rent, contact your property manager or maintenance team about authorization and their repair process. Tell a provider who can approve the work before booking.

For an urgent situation

For suspected gas leaks or immediate danger, leave the area and contact emergency services from a safe location. This referral line is not an emergency-services substitute. The City’s emergency repair guidance explains utility and permit contacts.

For a water leak, the City identifies the property owner’s shutoff valve as the first option to stop water. Only approach it if safe and you know which valve it is; use official help channels when uncertain. See Austin Water’s guidance.

Check who will perform the work.

Ask for the company name and responsible plumber’s license information. Use the Texas plumbing board’s consumer information and license-search links to make your own check. This website does not certify a provider’s credentials. To start, see the licensed plumbing companies in Austin listed by the board, with each Responsible Master Plumber’s license number.

Discuss the proposed work, price, permits, warranty terms and responsibility for restoration. Keep your written estimate and invoice.

Have these details ready.

• The property ZIP code and whether it is a house, apartment or commercial site.
• Affected fixtures and when you noticed the problem.
• Whether water is still leaking or several drains are backing up.
• Previous inspection and repair details.
• Who can authorize the job and any access constraints.

Not sure which service fits? Compare the eight Austin plumbing services, or read our Austin homeowner notes on emergencies, drain care and prevention.

Ask about your part of Austin.

Central, north, south, east and west Austin help describe a location, but have the property’s ZIP code ready. Neighborhood names, city limits and provider service areas do not always align. Nearby communities need their own availability check.

We do not advertise a walk-in office or guarantee citywide coverage. The call service checks for a provider accepting your location and job.

Prepare for Austin freezes.

Austin freezes about as often as it used to, but recent freezes have been harder: Camp Mabry logged 16 nights at or below 20°F in the six winters since 2020–21, against 10 in the 25 winters before (NOAA daily records). Our Austin freeze statistics page has the winter-by-winter numbers, first-freeze dates, shutoff-valve guidance and a free printable checklist.