Water damage in Mesquite, TX: who to call and how to hire

The city's Utilities page says to contact the 24-hour Emergency Service at 972-216-6278 for a water or sewer emergency, and notes that online requests are not handled on weekends or holidays. The same page explains the supply: Mesquite's drinking water starts at Lavon Reservoir and is treated by the North Texas Municipal Water District in Wylie. Mesquite operates three pumping stations and four elevated storage tanks holding a total of 9.5 million gallons.

The city line is for the public system. For a break inside your home, close your own main valve, then deal with the water. Our emergency water damage page and first steps guide cover what to do in the first hours.

Census Bureau data for 2024 (ACS table B25034 via Census Reporter) shows that about 39 percent of homes were built before 1980, about 42 percent from 1980 to 1999, and about 20 percent in 2000 or later. Most Mesquite houses are now several decades old.

Mesquite's Building Inspection division says construction permits are required, plans are reviewed and permits are issued by the division, and that both new and remodel work is inspected. Work that needs a permit must remain accessible and exposed for inspection until approved. That point matters after water damage: if walls are opened and pipes replaced, the walls should not be closed until the inspection passes. The division handles permits and registration through its online portal, and the page says an account is required for all homeowners and contractors. The division is at 1515 N. Galloway Ave.

The city's residential remodel, repair and addition checklist says separate plumbing and electric permits and inspections are required, and that smoke detectors are required whenever proposed construction work requires a permit. They must be installed throughout the existing house, not only in the area being worked on.

Mesquite's Emergency Repair Program, funded through the Community Development Block Grant, helps low to moderate income homeowners with a single repair to an item that poses an imminent threat to health or safety. Eligible repairs include water heaters and standing raw sewage. Help is first come, first served and depends on available funds; eligibility follows the city's Major Housing Rehabilitation Program, and applications are submitted online.

Texas has no state license for drying out a house. Two related trades are licensed, though. Mold assessment and mold remediation are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Its mold FAQ says the same company may not do both the assessment and the remediation on the same project, and only a licensed remediator can issue a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation. Plumbing repairs need a plumber licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, which runs its own license search.

• Photos and video of every wet area before anything is removed, plus the source of the water.
• A list of damaged property. The Texas Department of Insurance says not to throw damaged items away until the adjuster has seen them.
• Receipts for temporary repairs and supplies. TDI says not to make permanent repairs until the insurer has seen the damage.

Search mold professionals in the TDLR license search. Sewage is the most contaminated category of water; our water categories guide explains why.

This site is an independent homeowner guide. We are not a contractor, we do not perform restoration work, and we do not answer phones. To reach a restoration company, call one of the companies listed on this page or see all listed companies. Questions about this guide: email us. We do not take service requests. Please still run the license and permit checks on this page yourself.