Water line locating on the South Shore for a water service line or an irrigation system

Older water service lines

In Longueuil, the City indicates that lead service lines are found mainly in buildings constructed between 1940 and 1950, and sometimes up to around 1970 (1). Its 2020-2030 action plan aims to screen about 22,000 buildings, and replacing the private portion remains the owner's responsibility (2). Before this work, knowing the route and depth of the private line helps limit excavation in the yard.

Irrigation, an often forgotten network

Automatic sprinkler systems are common in suburban yards. Their shallow polyethylene lines do not respond to radio detection, and their route is rarely documented. Ground-penetrating radar can locate them before landscaping, a fence or a home addition.

What we locate

• The private water service line and the outdoor shut-off valve
• Irrigation lines and buried sprinkler heads
• The sewer connection running parallel to the water service line
• Cables and the gas line crossing the work area

Frequently asked questions

Are irrigation lines easy to detect? They are shallow, which helps ground-penetrating radar, but their small diameter and wet soil can complicate the reading. The report specifies the reliability of each route.

Is my water service line made of lead? If the building dates from the 1940s to the 1970s, it is a possibility. The City of Longueuil advises starting by locating the water service valve in the basement (1).