Frozen Water Line in Minneapolis: What the City Handles and What You Own

You turn on the tap on a below-zero morning and nothing comes out. Before you assume a burst pipe, it helps to know which pipe froze. A frozen water line in Minneapolis is usually a no-water problem, not a flood. The flood risk is inside the house.

This guide covers the underground line that brings water to your home. It uses the City of Minneapolis’s own guidance. For pipes inside the walls, see our page on frozen pipe damage repair.

What the water service line is, and who owns it

Your home has a water service line. It runs underground and connects the City water main to your water meter.

In Minneapolis, if you own the property, you own that line. That is true from where it connects to the main all the way to your meter. According to the City:

• You are responsible for making sure the line and the curb valves work.
• You are responsible for hiring and paying someone if the line leaks or freezes.
• If the meter is damaged, you pay the City’s cost to replace it.

Why a water line freezes

The City says a line can freeze in two situations. The frost gets deep enough to reach the line. Or the basement isn’t heated where the line comes into the house.

There is some reassurance in the City’s guidance. Most service lines are buried deep enough not to freeze. If yours has never frozen before, it is unlikely to freeze now.

What to do when the water stops

• Check more than one faucet. If only one fixture is dry, the problem is likely a pipe inside, not the service line.
• Call the City’s water emergency line at 612-673-5600.
• Ask about a plumber. The City says it can provide a list of licensed plumbing contractors and help with the bidding process.

Thawing a service line is plumbing work. Kiser Construction is not a plumber, and we won’t pretend to be. We can work with your plumber or bring one in. Where we come in is the water that ends up where it shouldn’t.

Where the water damage actually starts

A frozen line by itself means no water. The water damage risk is in three places inside the house.

The meter and the entry pipe. These sit in the basement, often against a cold foundation wall. The City asks you to keep that space above freezing. If the meter sits in a closet or cabinet, leave the door open so warm air reaches it. A pipe or meter that froze can leak once it thaws. Watch that area closely for the first few hours after the water comes back.

The trickling faucet. To keep a line from freezing again, the City says to run a pencil-width stream of cold water at the lowest faucet in the house. It also says to make sure that drain is clear so it doesn’t overflow or flood. That is easy to miss. A slow utility sink drain plus days of trickling water can put water on a basement floor.

Timing matters too. After a deep freeze in 2019, the Minneapolis Fire Department got nearly four dozen broken pipe calls, according to MPR News. The calls didn’t start until the worst of the cold had passed. Damage tends to show up at the thaw.

Pipes inside walls. A cold snap hard enough to freeze a service line can also freeze pipes on outside walls. When those split, our burst pipe cleanup crew handles the water.

How long to keep the water running

Longer than most people think. The City says not to turn the faucet off until the ground has fully thawed. Turning it off, even for a few minutes, can let a recently frozen line freeze again.

Put a note on the faucet so nobody in the house shuts it off. In a duplex or rental, tell everyone who lives there.

If your frozen water line in Minneapolis keeps coming back

Some lines freeze every hard winter. The City’s frozen water service line guidance gives two fixes. Keep the basement above freezing all winter. Or hire a qualified contractor to lower the line deeper than the frost can reach.

Lowering a line is a bigger project, but it can end the yearly cycle of no water and running faucets.

Common questions

Who pays to fix a frozen water line in Minneapolis?

The property owner. The City says you own the service line from the main to your meter. You are responsible for hiring and paying someone if it leaks or freezes. Ask your agent whether an underground service line rider makes sense for you.

Should I shut the water off if I travel while the faucet is trickling?

Not without a plan. The City says turning the water off, even for a few minutes, can let a recently frozen line freeze again. Call the City at 612-673-5600 or a plumber before you leave.

How long should I leave a faucet running?

Until the ground is fully thawed. The City says a pencil-width stream of cold water at the lowest faucet is enough. Keep that drain clear.

Who pays if my water meter is damaged?

The property owner pays the City’s cost to replace it.

Do you fix the frozen line?

No. Thawing or replacing the line is work for a licensed plumber. We handle water damage inside the house, from extraction to rebuild.

Can you come out at night during a cold snap?

Yes. Our emergency line, (612) 518-8852, is answered 24/7 by a real person, including holidays.

Call us

Kiser Construction has served the Twin Cities since 2003. We are IICRC certified and licensed in Minnesota under BC416441. Inspections are free, and you get a written scope whether or not you hire us. Learn how our water damage restoration process works.

Emergency, any hour: (612) 518-8852. Office: (763) 633-2010.