Service 10
Trenchless Water Line Installation
Replacing a failed water service under lawns, driveways and landscaping with two small access pits instead of a trench.
The short answer
Trenchless water line installation replaces a buried water service by pulling a new pipe through the old one (pipe bursting) or by boring a new path underground with directional drilling. Instead of a continuous trench across the property, the work needs two small access pits — one at each end of the run. Lawns, driveways, patios and mature landscaping stay intact.
What usually causes it
A line that has failed more than once
Older poly, galvanised and copper lines that have already been repaired in two or three places are telling you the whole run is at the end of its life. Replacing the run once is cheaper than a series of emergency digs.
A failed line under concrete
When the line passes under a driveway, a patio or a foundation planting bed, open-trench replacement means destroying the surface and rebuilding it. Trenchless avoids the demolition entirely.
A run through mature landscaping
Established trees, hedges and lawns take decades to replace. Directional drilling can pass beneath root zones at a controlled depth with minimal surface disturbance.
Signs it is time to call
Any one of these is worth a phone call. Two or more together usually means something is already failing.
- Two or more leaks on the same line
- Line runs under a driveway, patio or deck
- Persistent low pressure from a scaled or narrowed line
- Lead or galvanised service line being replaced
- Root intrusion or collapsed sections
- Landscaping you do not want disturbed
How pipe bursting works
A bursting head is pulled through the existing pipe from one access pit to the other. It breaks the old pipe outward into the surrounding soil while simultaneously pulling a new high-density polyethylene pipe into the space it leaves. The new pipe is continuous — no joints along the run, which is where most leaks start.
Because the new pipe follows the old path, pipe bursting is ideal when the existing route is good but the pipe itself has failed. It does need the old line to be burstable, and it needs enough clearance around it.
How directional drilling works
A steerable bore is drilled along a controlled path from the entry pit to the exit pit, then the new pipe is pulled back through the bore. This is the right method when the existing line is collapsed, when the route needs to change, or when the old pipe cannot be burst.
Both methods require a launch pit and a receiving pit. In a typical residential job those are about the size of a wheelbarrow each, positioned to keep the disturbance away from the driveway and the front lawn.
What the property looks like afterwards
Two small pits, backfilled and compacted, and the new line tied in at both ends. There is no trench across the yard, no pile of spoil on the lawn and no concrete to replace. Most jobs are finished in a day, and the pits are restored the same day.
How the job runs
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01
Walk the run
Confirm the route, the material, the depth and where the access pits can go without damaging the property.
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02
Dig the pits
Two small excavations at each end, with the surface set aside for reinstatement.
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03
Burst or bore
Pull the new continuous polyethylene line through the old path or the new bore.
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04
Tie in and test
Connect at both ends, pressure-test the run, flush and restore the pits.
What you get
- No trench across the lawn, driveway or landscaping
- A continuous new pipe with no joints along the run
- Most residential jobs completed in a single day
- Surface reinstated the same day the work is done
Is trenchless water line installation always possible?
No. It needs a burstable existing line and reasonable clearance, or a drillable path with space for two pits. Sharp bends, collapsed sections, and very short runs with no room for equipment can rule it out. We assess the run before quoting.
How much does trenchless water line installation cost?
It is usually comparable to open-trench replacement for the pipe work, and considerably less once you count the cost of replacing a driveway or landscaping. We quote the specific run after walking it.
What size water line is used?
Most residential services use 1-inch polyethylene, with 3/4-inch for smaller runs and 1-1/4 or larger where flow or distance demands it. The right size depends on the length of the run, the elevation change and the fixtures served.
Will the new line freeze?
It is installed at or below the depth of the original line, which is normally below frost line. If the original was too shallow, we will tell you and set the new line deeper where the route allows.
Does the old pipe have to be removed?
No. With pipe bursting the old pipe is broken outward and left in the ground; the new pipe occupies the space. That is part of why the method is so much less disruptive.
Related services
Water line repair
Finding and repairing leaks between the well, the pressure tank and the house — without digging up more yard than necessary.
Read moreWell pump installation
New submersible, jet and booster pump installation sized to the well yield, the depth and what the house actually uses.
Read moreLow water pressure
Tracking down whether the pressure loss is the tank, the switch, a clogged filter, the pump, or the well itself.
Read moreTrenchless water lines across the service area
This service is available throughout Lane, Linn, Benton and Douglas counties. These pages cover the towns we are called to most.
Talk to a well tech
Not sure whether it is the pump, the tank or the well?
That is what the phone is for. Describe what the water is doing and we will tell you what it sounds like.
Request service
Book trenchless water lines
Send the details and we will call back with a time. If the water is off now, call 541-935-7867 instead.
Phone
Based in
22071 Fisk Rd
Noti, OR 97461
Emergency
No water, a burst line or a pump that will not stop: call any hour, including weekends.