State guide
Mississippi
Mississippi’s drinking water program is run by the Mississippi State Department of Health Bureau of Public Water Supply, which also manages revolving-fund support tied to lead service line replacement. State materials clearly require public water systems to meet federal lead service line replacement and reporting rules, but homeowner/private-side responsibility is mostly described on local utility pages rather than in a single statewide ownership rule.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who usually owns the water service line
- No single statewide homeowner-versus-utility ownership rule was found; Mississippi utility pages commonly place the private side at or beyond the meter, while state materials tell residents to contact their local water system and plumber about service line materials.
- State drinking water program
- Mississippi State Department of Health, Bureau of Public Water Supply
- State lead service line page
- Official page →
- Permits for repair or replacement
- Mississippi health program pages and rules found here address public water system regulation and compliance, but I did not find a statewide homeowner repair-permit rule for private water service lines.
- Assistance programs
- MSDH says its Public Water Supply Program manages revolving-fund support including Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding associated with Lead Service Line Replacement; JXN Water also offers RP3 to connect customers with vetted plumbers for private-line issues.
Official resources in Mississippi
State drinking water program page with customer resources and the program contact number.
Official state lead-materials inventory page listing systems that reported lead in service lines or other distribution materials.
State regulations/documents page for operators, forms, and Mississippi drinking water rules.
Jackson utility page showing the ownership split between the utility side and the property-owner side of the water service line.
Utility FAQ page explaining how to tell whether a leak is on the customer side or the city side of the meter.
Key facts for Mississippi
- MSDH says the Public Water Supply Program manages Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding associated with Lead Service Line Replacement.
- Mississippi’s lead-materials inventory tells residents to contact their local water system about service line materials and a local plumber about the line from the meter to the home.
- Mississippi health regulations say each supplier of water must comply with lead service line replacement and lead service line reporting requirements in federal regulations.
- JXN Water says it owns the line from the water main to the water meter, and the property owner owns the line from the meter to the building.
- Hattiesburg says movement on the meter indicator means water is being lost on your side of the meter; if the indicator is not turning, it may be a city-side service leak.
- Biloxi’s Water Department says it reads and maintains water meters and collects water and sewer tap fees for new construction projects.
Utility water service line rules in Mississippi
| Utility | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State Department of Health - Bureau of Public Water Supply Hinds | Jackson | 601‑576‑7518 | State drinking water program; customer resources, compliance, and revolving-fund administration including lead-service-line-related funding. |
| JXN Water Lead Awareness and Public Education Program Hinds | Jackson | 601-500-5200 | Jackson lead service line inventory/help page; utility side is main to meter and owner side is meter to building. |
| JXN Water Residential Plumbing Partnership Program (RP3) Hinds | Jackson | Not published* | Referral program for vetted plumbers for private water leaks, sewer backups, and clogged private lines. |
| City of Hattiesburg Water & Sewer / Action Line Forrest | Hattiesburg | 601-545-4500 | Reports water/sewer issues and explains how to tell customer-side leaks from city-side service leaks. |
| City of Biloxi Water Department Harrison | Biloxi | (228) 435-6236 | Biloxi water billing/meter office; also collects water and sewer tap fees for new construction projects. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Check the Mississippi lead-materials inventory, then call your local water system to verify what is known for your address.
- If you are in Jackson or Hattiesburg, use the utility’s leak guidance to decide whether the problem is likely on your side of the meter before hiring a plumber.
- For lead-service-line questions or funding issues, start with MSDH’s Bureau of Public Water Supply and your local system together.
Not seeing your utility or county?
We list a utility only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Mississippi, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Mississippi's population center, for comparison only):
- MAWSS Customer Service, Alabama · about 157 miles
- Louisiana Department of Health Safe Drinking Water Program, Louisiana · about 173 miles
- LDH Lead Service Line Inventory, Louisiana · about 173 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Mississippi State Department of Health - Bureau of Public Water Supply
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Mississippi page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- Who is responsible for the water line to your house?
- The curb stop, meter and property line, explained
- Water line leak in your yard: what to do
- Water service line replacement costs
Water line responsibility check →