As Fort Worth Replaces Its Cast Iron Pipes, Homeowners Must Do The Same

Fort Worth is replacing all existing cast iron water pipes- its residents must do the same.

A close up look at cast iron pipe corrosion.

Mother Modern Plumbing replaces cast iron pipe in Fort Worth home.

Master Plumbers urge replacement of cast iron pipes in Fort Worth homes

FORT WORTH, TX, UNITED STATES, October 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As the City of Fort Worth prepares to replace 730 miles of cast iron city water lines due to widespread leaks, area homeowners are growing concerned about the health of their own plumbing.

Fort Worth area homes are getting older. U.S.

Census Data shows roughly 979,000 houses in the DFW Metroplex are 50+ years old. As properties in local cities age, so do their sewer lines: a problem local plumbers know all too well.

“If your home was built before 1980, there’s a good chance you’ve got cast iron sewer pipes,” explains Steven Smith, Responsible Master Plumber at Mother Modern Plumbing. “There’s a reason we don’t install those anymore — they’re all starting to fail.”

Cast iron was the gold standard of sewer line materials prior to the late 1970s, prized for its durability. But as its 50-year lifespan nears its end, the material’s weaknesses are revealed: it’s easily damaged by North Texas’ shifting soil and corroded by wastewater.

As corrosion eats the inner walls of cast iron sewer pipes, the rough surface causes sewage and other flushed items to collects and form tough, persistent clogs. This causes slow drains, sewer backups in the home, and eventually underground leaks and pipe breaks.

Tarrant County homeowners are beginning to notice these sewer line issues at home. This is especially true for people living in the HEB Triangle (Hurst, Euless and Bedford) and in older sections of Plano between US-75 and Coit Road.

Plano resident Yael Bodenheimer reports her family of 7 had to “repipe their entire home from cast iron to PVC, as well as fix a slab leak” caused by damaged cast iron pipe sections.

“We’re getting more and more calls like Yael’s,” says Smith. “Cast iron lasts 50 years and we haven’t installed it since the late 1970s — that means every cast iron pipe is past its lifespan.”

NBC DFW reports that cast iron lines in Fort Worth’s city pipe system cause 85% of water main breaks. In February 2021, a winter storm caused nearly 700 breaks — a moment that further illustrated the failure of cast iron as a modern pipe material.

Unlike the city’s repair process, local homeowners are left to foot their own bill for cast iron pipe damage. When homes in Fort Worth are damaged by leaks on their property, the homeowner assumes all responsibility to pay for the repairs.

“One way or another, everyone needs to replace cast iron pipes,” Smith explains. “Better to replace it now, instead of paying for repairs on top of the repiping.”