In NYC it is common for a homeowner to experience a leaking water main, but a leaking tap connection is a lot less common. The first question is to understand exactly what your tap connection is.
The tap connection is a valve or a fitting that connects your water main to the city water main, this is the valve that allows the plumber to open and close your water connection without having to impact the entire street that you live on.
If you have been made aware that your water main is leaking the licensed plumber can excavate the roadway over the tap connection, and close the water at the tap to replace your water main. In this case your neighbors are not impacted allowing for a quick and simplified process when replacing or repairing a water main.
In the event that your tap is leaking or not functioning, the repair work becomes more of a detailed process including additional work as well as involving the NYC DEP to install the new tap.
In most cases a property owner will first become aware that the tap is leaking or not functioning when your licensed plumber begins digging in the roadway for a standardized water main replacement.
In the event of a tap replacement for a leak the plumber is required to schedule a city main shut down with the DEP and no further work on the tap can be completed until DEP schedules the shut down. Once the city water main is closed and does not have any water actively flowing, the old tap can either be removed with a new tap installed in the same hole or the old tap will be plugged while a new tap is installed within the same hole as the old tap.
Now that you have a new tap installed any additional work on your water main may continue as well as any future use of the tap connection.
It is important to understand that the DEP usually charges for the city main shut down which falls under the responsibility of the property owner to cover all costs.
In NYC the tap connection is the sole responsibility of the property owner, in addition to the water main itself. The city is only responsible for a water main leak if the city main is leaking and is required to be repaired.
