Plumbers in Salisbury, NC

Rowan County's seat on I-85

Salisbury was established in 1763 and is the Rowan County seat, about 33 miles south-southwest of downtown Winston-Salem in a straight line. I-85 runs past town, and US 29, US 70, US 52 and US 601 converge here. The 2020 Census counted 35,540 residents. The city has 10 National Register historic districts, a preserved downtown along Innes and Main Streets, the Rail Walk Arts District, Bell Tower Green, and both Catawba and Livingstone colleges.

Salisbury-Rowan Utilities

SRU provides water and sewer to Salisbury and several nearby towns, with about 21,000 water meters. It draws from the Yadkin River near the Yadkin and South Yadkin confluence and treats wastewater at the Grant Creek and Town Creek plants. SRU disinfects with chlorine rather than chloramine, adds fluoride, and controls corrosion by raising pH and adding zinc orthophosphate. Its service line inventory found no lead or galvanized lines needing replacement.

SRU maintains the line from the street main to the meter; from the meter to the house is the owner's responsibility. Since 1988 SRU has put check valves on new customer meters, which closes the system, so it recommends a thermal expansion tank on the water heater where a check valve is present.

Older houses throughout

The median Salisbury home was built in 1976, about 55% predate 1980, and roughly 14% predate 1940. That makes galvanized and cast-iron interior plumbing common, especially in the historic districts. Corroded supply lines, low pressure, slow drains and aging sewer laterals show up often.

Backflow, permits and gas

If you have an irrigation backflow assembly, SRU requires a test every year by a tester on its list, with reports filed online through a vendor called BSI at $15.95 per report. Permits come from Rowan County Building Inspections at 402 N. Main St., Suite 207 (704-216-8619), after zoning approval from the city. The county's February 2024 schedule lists a storage water heater permit at $75 and tankless at $90. Piedmont Natural Gas serves portions of Rowan County; if you smell gas, leave and call 911 or Piedmont at 800-752-7504 from outside.

Different from Winston-Salem how?

Winston-Salem homes are on Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities and use the City-County Inspections Division. In Salisbury, SRU is the utility and Rowan County inspects. Outside the SRU area, about half of Rowan County residents rely on private wells, so homes just past city limits can be set up very differently.

When you call

Be ready with your address, what's leaking or backing up, and whether the water is off. You'll be connected with an independent plumber who covers Salisbury and work out the visit with them.