Plumbing in Fairview, TX: Leaks, Water Heaters and Septic Systems

Who to call and who fixes what

The Town of Fairview runs its own water and wastewater utility, with about 4,300 water meters. It buys treated water from the North Texas Municipal Water District and sends wastewater to NTMWD for treatment (water and wastewater).

• During business hours (weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), report a water line break on 972-886-4242.
• Evenings, weekends and holidays, call the on-call line on 972-886-4229 (after-hours water emergency).

The Town's rule is short: property owners are responsible for water pipes from their meter to their house, and a permit may be required for repairs (water leaks). Anything at the meter or on the street side is the Town's.

Leak adjustments: the $250 threshold

The $250 threshold means small leaks, such as a running toilet, usually won't qualify, but they still cost you every month. Most meters in Fairview are radio-read, and our high water bill guide explains how to check the meter yourself for a hidden leak.

Water heaters: Fairview's checklist

Water heater replacement needs a permit in Fairview. The Town publishes a residential water heater packet that's useful to read before you compare quotes. Among its requirements:

• a drain pan at least 1.5 inches deep with a 3/4 inch drain,
• a shutoff valve on the cold water supply, and unions for disconnection,
• an expansion tank on closed-loop systems (for example, where there's a check valve or pressure-reducing valve), and
• a temperature and pressure relief discharge that ends 6 to 24 inches above the ground.

A quote that leaves out the permit, the pan or the expansion tank where one is needed is worth questioning. Our water heater replacement cost guide covers the rest of a fair quote.

Permits in Fairview are applied for by email to Permits@FairviewTexas.org or in person at Town Hall; there's no online portal. Inspections are on 972-886-4250 or inspections@fairviewtexas.org, and requests in before 8 a.m. can be inspected the same day. The Town also offers remote virtual inspections. Fairview has adopted the 2024 International Plumbing Code (permits and inspections).

Septic systems in Fairview

Fairview is one of the few towns near McKinney with a significant number of homes on on-site sewage facilities (septic systems), mostly on larger lots. Unlike most of the surrounding area, the Town issues septic permits itself, not Collin County. According to the Town's septic packet:

• New systems need a site and soil evaluation, a design by a professional engineer or registered sanitarian, and a maintenance agreement with a licensed installer.
• Public Works reviews the plans and issues an authorization to construct before the permit.
• Single-family fees are $75 for plan review plus $335 for the permit; repairs and alterations are $75 plus $150.
• Aerobic systems come with a two-year service policy, after which you need a maintenance contract in place within 30 days.

If your home is on septic, a slow drain or sewage smell may be a septic problem rather than a drain line problem, and it needs a septic professional as well as, or instead of, a plumber. Keep your aerobic maintenance contract current: a lapsed contract is a compliance problem as well as a maintenance one. Our sewer smell guide covers the causes inside the house.

Water quality

Fairview's water comes from Lavon Lake and Bois d'Arc Lake through NTMWD's Wylie plant. The Town's 2025 water quality report lists total hardness of 96 to 200 ppm, roughly 6 to 12 grains per gallon, and chloramine disinfection averaging about 2.4 ppm (2025 report). That's moderately hard: expect scale on fixtures and sediment in water heaters. See our hard water guide.

Irrigation and backflow

Fairview limits irrigation to twice a week year-round, and from April 1 to October 31 only before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Rain sensors are required on new construction, and the Town offers rebates for rain, freeze and soil moisture sensors (water quality and conservation).

Irrigation systems have backflow preventers that must be tested every year, with the report sent to backflow@fairviewtexas.org. Testers need a state registration (backflow prevention).

Housing age

The median Fairview home was built in 2006, according to Census estimates (American Community Survey 2020 to 2024). Many of those homes are now on their second water heater, and original fixtures and valves are reaching the age where they start to drip. See water heater lifespan.

Useful Fairview numbers

• Water line breaks, business hours: 972-886-4242
• After-hours water emergencies: 972-886-4229
• Building inspections: 972-886-4250
• Town Hall: 972-562-0522, 372 Town Place
• Gas smell: leave the building and call 911 or your gas utility from outside

These are official Town lines, not plumbing referrals. We're not affiliated with the Town of Fairview.

Getting a plumber in Fairview

Most of Fairview uses the 75069 ZIP code, shared with central McKinney, and a small part is in 75002. We accept requests from Fairview addresses. Each plumbing business sets its own travel area, and septic work is a separate specialty, so whether a particular professional covers your address depends on the business. We'll tell you if we can't find a match. For McKinney's own rules, see our McKinney service area page.