Ask which connection and pipe segment are involved.
The public/private question cannot always be answered by pointing to a sidewalk or saying “before the meter.” First identify the water supplier and the specific connection arrangement. Portland's maintenance code describes different boundaries for small domestic or irrigation services, larger connections, and fire services.
Call about the leak877-702-1610Confirm the provider, address coverage, and charges before authorizing work.
Use the specific rule, not a convenient shorthand
For smaller domestic or irrigation connections, the meter stop matters. For larger connections, the meter valve and a vault wall can be relevant. Fire services use another defined boundary. Read Portland Code 21.30.130 and ask the Water Bureau to confirm how it applies to the actual service before assigning repair responsibility.
This is a water-service question. It does not establish ownership of a sewer lateral, storm drain, or shared waste line. If the suspected leak concerns one of those systems, use the corresponding authority route instead.
Give the supplier a location, not a verdict
Describe where water appears, the service address, and whether it is flowing in a street or near visible utility equipment. Do not claim the public main is broken merely because the area is wet. For an apparent public water problem, use the official reporting page.
Do not dig, open a vault, or operate utility equipment to prove which side leaks. A surface observation can help start the response without exposing buried services or creating an unsafe opening.
Keep the confirmation with the repair proposal
Write down which segment the supplier identified and any reference supplied. Share that information with the private contractor when relevant. Ask the contractor to describe how its proposed work relates to that segment and whether access or permits involve the right-of-way.
If two parties give conflicting explanations, ask them to resolve the connection details rather than selecting the answer that appears cheapest. The property owner, manager, utility, and contractor may each hold different information needed to establish the correct scope.
Choose the next route after the boundary is understood
The service-line leak guide covers investigation and repair questions for a suspected private supply leak. To discuss that work, call 877-702-1610. Verify the recipient and its scope. Portland Leak Notes does not decide legal responsibility, represent the Water Bureau, or guarantee that an independent provider can work on every connection type.