Water System Connection Requirements

Requirements for Connection to the Cumberland County Water System

1. Contact a licensed plumber and arrange a time that your line can be installed. You may install your own service for your residence. If the new service is for a rental property, you are required to hire a licensed plumber. If you are hiring a plumber, you may want to obtain several estimates for your job. It is not permissible for a friend or neighbor to connect your service. It must be the property owner or a licensed plumber.
2. Your plumber must first obtain a plumbing permit at the Cumberland County Planning and Inspections Department located at 130 Gillespie Street, Historic Courthouse, Fayetteville. The cost of this permit is $35 for water. If you are building a new house, this permit may be included in your building permits; check with Central Permitting at 910-321-6666.
3. Upon receiving your plumbing permit, and after the taps are installed, you may proceed with your work.
4. Before you or your plumber begin digging, especially in State right-of-ways, you should contact North Carolina One-Call Center at 811 and have the area marked for under-ground power, cable, or phone lines. You will need to contact NC One-Call 48 hours prior to beginning the work in order to allow adequate time for notification to all pertinent utilities. You should advise the operator of the date and time you will be performing the work and a detailed location of the service. They will contact all the necessary utilities in that area.
5. You are required to install a minimum of a 3/4” water line from the building to the water tap and a 3/4” cut-off valve on your side of the water tap. The cut-off valve installed on the customer side of the tap must be in a separate box. It is not permissible to install the customer cut-off valve inside the meter box. This will benefit you should you need to turn your water off for repairs or leaks. Excessive water could be lost while waiting for a meter technician if this valve is not installed. For standard connections, 3/4” pipe should be used from the meter to the residence/building being connected, with a minimum pressure rating of 160 psi. We recommend that you also install a pressure reducing valve at your service to control the amount of pressure feeding into your line and prevent excessive pressures. This reducer is especially important on residences with older plumbing. The Inspections Department also requires a cut-off valve at the house or building.
6. After the customer cut-off valve has been installed within 12” of the water tap and attached to the setter, contact our office at 910-678-7682 to order the installation of your meter at least 48 business hours prior to when you actually need the meter set. Be sure that the cut-off valve has been installed on your side of the meter box before calling for your meter. This cut off valve must be within 12 inches of the meter box in a box of its own. Second call outs for meters will be charged a service fee. This cut-off valve is required by ALL customers.
7. Before requesting the meter to be installed, make sure the cut off valve on your side is in the off position. The valve on the county side is turned on when the meter is installed. Cumberland County is not responsible for water damage or loss.
8. Your well water lines must be completely disconnected from the building that is to be serviced by the County water system. State Health Laws do not permit cross-connections. You cannot tie or plumb your well to the County system in any way either inside or outside of the building. They cannot be physically connected together by using cut-off valves between the County system and private wells or building plumbing. The N.C. Division of Health Services requires a 10 foot physical separation between private well systems and a public water supply. This code will be strictly enforced. Failure to comply will result in fines and disconnection of service from the Public Utilities Division.
9. Upon completion of your service by your plumber, the plumber will call the Cumberland County Inspections Department for a final inspection at 321-6666.
10. Upon successful final inspection, Inspection Department will contact us to set your meter.
11. This notice is valid for one house or unit only. Two properties cannot be connected to the same service. If this is found, the water will be disconnected. Application must be made for a separate water tap at the prevailing rate.
12. If this service is for a rental account, please have the tenant come into our office before the service is connected. All tenants will be required to pay a water deposit, which is refundable when they discontinue service and their account is paid in full. A $20 non-refundable connection fee is also due at the time of application. If water is used and the tenant has not made application, the owner will be responsible for the water charges. If you have rental property that has a water tap and is occupied, but you have not connected this property, you will receive a monthly availability fee bill until you make the service available for the tenant and the tenant applies for service in their name.
13. Upon completion of your service by your plumber, you are to call the Cumberland County Inspections Department for a final inspection at 910-321-6666. If your connection is found to be out of compliance, you will have five days to make the necessary corrections. Failure to comply with County Inspection requirements will result in disconnection of your service. A $25 reconnect fee will be assessed from the Public Utilities Division.
14. We look forward to serving you. Should you have any questions, please contact our office Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at 910-678-7682.
15. For questions regarding inspections, please call the Inspections office at 910-321-6666, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.