Commercial Plumbing in Wilson, NC

About Wilson

Wilson, the county seat on I-95, was once "The World's Greatest Tobacco Market," and its downtown, tobacco-warehouse districts and early-1900s neighborhoods hold a lot of older commercial buildings; about 46% of homes predate 1980. City of Wilson Water Resources treats water from its own reservoirs at the Wiggins Mill and Toisnot plants, using free chlorine rather than chloramine, and treats wastewater at the Hominy Creek Water Reclamation Facility. Wilson Energy, the City's gas system, runs more than 400 miles of main serving over 13,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers.

What to do now

1. Shut off water to the leak at the fixture or the building main.
2. Take backed-up fixtures out of service and post a sign.
3. If you smell gas, leave. Call 911 or Wilson Energy from outside before anything else.
4. Check the property line. The City owns the line from the main to the property line or meter pit; the customer owns the private side. Water surfacing on your side is yours to fix.
5. Find your backflow paperwork. Wilson tracks commercial assemblies closely.

Symptoms and likely causes

What affects the cost

• Backflow requirements. Under City Code, all commercial services need at least a double check valve assembly. Assemblies are tested within 10 days of installation and at least every year at the customer's expense by certified testers, who recertify every two years; records go to the water distribution department within 10 days. Violations can carry penalties up to $1,000.
• Building age and access in older downtown properties.
• Off-hours scheduling.
• Permits. The Permit Desk at City Hall, 112 Goldsboro St E (252-399-2220), handles permits and water and sewer tap applications. One of the City's most common code violations: a water heater in a garage must be elevated 18 inches.