2026 Water Works Utility Service Line Program
Applications must meet the minimum specifications as provided herein. There is no scoring matrix
as all qualified vendors whose applications meet the minimum specifications and who meet and
accept the following required conditions will be accepted into the program:
• Plumber Contractor License in Indiana; and
• Worker’s Compensation Insurance; and
• Performance bond in the amount of $25,000 or cash bond in the amount of $25,000; and
• Proof of Commercial General Liability Insurance per Person in the amount of $50,000; and
• Proof of Commercial General Liability Insurance per Occurrence in the amount of $1,000,000
• Three (3) year warranty on all work performed through this program.
• Must follow City of South Bend Department of Public Works Design & Construction Standards.
• Availability for on-call emergency response scheduled on a weekly rotation which includes before/after
normal business hours, weekends and holidays. Emergency repairs require completion within 24 hours.
Regular repairs require completion within five working days.
• Ability to work in year-round adverse weather conditions.
• Must follow IUPPS 811 compliance prior to and throughout all excavation work performed.
• Customer contact prior to repairs with account information provided by the Water Works Utility.
• Responsible for the planning, set-up and removal or subcontracting of all necessary traffic control
according to INDOT requirements found in the Indiana Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and
the ability to work safely on heavily trafficked streets.
• Ability to pinpoint water leaks and trace water service lines.
• Must be fully equipped to work safely in underground excavations five feet deep or greater in compliance
with OSHA trenching and excavation safety requirements. Company safety manual must be followed and
a minimum requirement of two qualified persons for all excavations.
• Ability to temporarily freeze water service lines to replace inoperable and/or leaking curb valves.
• Must have experience working on water lines in the City of South Bend including new service
line installation using open trench excavation and trenchless ground piercing methods. New
service line installation will be paid per foot for one-inch service line and only Type K copper
tubing pipe is allowed. The water line shall have a minimum earth cover of five feet and a
maximum of six feet.
• Responsible for the preparation and pouring or subcontracting of all sidewalks, driveway and
street cuts, according to City specifications. Four inches of depth for sidewalks, six inches of
depth for driveway and driveway approaches. Street cuts must match existing depth, but not be
less than eight inches minimum.
• Responsible for repairing all grass/sod property damage caused by excavation work by spreading
topsoil and grass seed within two calendar weeks of leak repair. A list of all repairs completed in
grass during the winter season must be kept for returning to complete the topsoil and grass seed
work at the start of the spring season.
• A Plumber Inventory Tracking Form must be e-mailed to Water Works Utility management staff
with details for each leak repair performed within one calendar week of repair date.
• Invoices (two copies required) for work performed must be delivered to 915 S. Olive St. by the
fifth day of the following month. All material provided by the Water Works Utility must be
indicated on the invoices. City inspection and approval prior to payment being remitted within 45
days of receipt.
• A Plumber Material Request Sheet must be e-mailed to Water Works Utility management staff when
requesting provided parts. All material requests must be picked up at 915 S. Olive St. the following
business day between the hours of 7:30am and 3:00pm unless otherwise specified by Water Works Utility
management staff.
Flat Rate for Stop Box Repairs:
Applicants will unearth a single excavation up to five cubic feet in grass for a flat rate of $590. For stop
box repairs that require the removal of a hard surface, such as asphalt or concrete, the flat rate is increased
to $714. This flat rate will include all equipment, material and labor necessary to replace the stop box and
rod. This flat rate will be used for all emergency repairs made during normal business hours. A curb valve
found to be inoperable and/or leaking must be replaced, and the repair is billed as a basic service leak at
the rates described herein.
Flat Rate for Basic Service Leak Repairs:
Applicants will unearth a single excavation up to five cubic feet in grass for a flat rate of $1,828. For
basic leak repairs that require the removal of a hard surface, such as asphalt or concrete, the flat rate is
increased to $1,945. This flat rate will include all equipment, material and labor necessary to replace the
curb valve, stop box and rod or repair a single leak on three feet or less section of the service line. This
flat rate will be used for all emergency repairs made during normal business hours. Repairs that require
exceeding these specifications to complete must be reported to Water Works Utility management staff to
determine if a leak repair is not considered basic repair due to special circumstances. Any special
circumstance requires City approval, and the repair is billed for equipment, material and labor at the rates
described herein.
Special Circumstance Plumber Rates for Equipment, Material and Labor:
Equipment Rates per Job:
Pneumatic Ground Piercing Mole $177
Trench Shoring/Shield Box $153
Arrow Board $148
Air Compressor $131
Hammer/Rotary Drill $113
Partner Saw $106
Barricades $101
Freeze Kit $95
Plate Compactor $88
Trash Water Pump $60
Work Truck $47
Equipment Rates per Hour:
Vactor $354
Backhoe $142
Dump Truck/Trailer $82
Material Rates per Job:
#53 Recycled Concrete Backfill $106
Black Dirt & Seed $106
Labor Rates per Hour:
Plumber $106
Laborer $82
Special Circumstances include, but are not limited to:
• Any leak repair that requires subcontracting for heavy traffic control.
• Any leak repair that requires more than a single excavation.
• Any leak repair that requires excavating greater than a five feet square area.
• Any leak repair that requires excavating greater than five feet of depth and must have trench
shoring or a shield box installed for OSHA compliance.
• Any leak repair that requires a portion of the street to be removed.
• Any leak repair that requires extensive landscape removal.
• Any leak repair involving the foundation of the structure.
• Any service line repair that requires more than a single leak to be repaired.
• Any leak repair that requires replacing any length of the service line greater than three feet.
• Emergency leak repair designated by the Water Works Utility to be completed before/after
normal business hours, weekends and holidays.
