Two water systems share one city name
Aurora's Water Department runs two systems. The Portage system pulls groundwater from the Coit Road well field and softens it with ion exchange at a treatment plant in Shalersville. The Cleveland system delivers Lake Erie water from Cleveland Water.
The city's reports do not say which streets get which supply, so ask the water department which one serves your address. It matters when a heater fails and you shop for water heater replacement. Softened water is gentle on a new tank, while Cleveland-system water carries moderate hardness near 7 grains per gallon, and scale builds faster on elements and fixtures.
Four kinds of Aurora homes and what tends to give out
Dispatch is open around the clock, so none of these has to wait for business hours. The age of the house points to the likeliest culprit.
1920s houses in the historic center
The city's commuter-village plan produced homes along Hurd Road, Shawnee Trail, Hudson Road and Pioneer Trail by 1929. Homes this old often still have galvanized or early copper lines, which narrow and leak at joints.
Aurora Shores lakeside homes
Building began there in late 1971, and about 887 homes surround a 580-acre lake. At roughly fifty years old, original heaters and sump pumps are well past their expected life.
The 1990s subdivisions
About 27 percent of Aurora's housing was built in that decade, according to survey data built on Census figures. Expect first or second heaters, worn faucet cartridges and disposals.
New townhomes at the Geauga Lake site
Renaissance Park is recent construction, so failures are usually fixtures, supply stops and drain traps rather than pipe age.
Aurora basement taking on water?
Photograph the water line, move what you can off the floor, and call (440) 468-0237. A truck is dispatched from Solon the same day when available.
Sump pump, drain or heater? Sorting the problem
| Situation in the house | Probable culprit | First move |
|---|---|---|
| Pump runs constantly, pit never empties | Stuck check valve or undersized pump | Inspect valve, discharge line and float |
| Pit is full and the pump is silent | Dead motor, tripped breaker or stuck float | Check power first, then test the float |
| Rust-tinted hot water | Anode spent, tank corroding | Inspect the tank and flush if sound |
| Slow drains in several fixtures | Main line partly blocked | Cable the line and run a camera if needed |
| Gurgle when the washer drains | Venting or trap issue | Trace the vent and test the trap |
Septic systems have different rules for drains and backups. If your home is on septic, tell us when you call so we send the right equipment.
Sump pumps near the lake and the Chagrin branch
The city's stormwater guide tells residents to have their sump pumps inspected regularly and to check storm laterals for roots and debris. That is sound advice, because a pump you only test during a storm is a pump that fails during a storm. A yearly look at the float and the check valve costs little next to a flooded finished basement.
If the pit keeps filling even with a healthy pump, the problem may be groundwater or a clogged storm lateral rather than the pump. Our sump pump repair crew can sort that out, and basement waterproofing is the next step when repairs only buy time.
Permits: what Aurora's own sheet lists
Aurora's Planning, Zoning and Building Division publishes a residential permit sheet that lists plumbing gas lines, miscellaneous plumbing, waterproofing and foundation repair, and replacement water heaters. So a heater swap or a basement waterproofing job is not something to do on the quiet.
Portage County's building department says it does not serve Aurora and does not handle plumbing, and the county health department handles plumbing countywide. How that splits inside Aurora is not spelled out publicly, so call the city division before booking and ask who inspects. We can work around whatever answer you get.
Steps to take in the first few minutes
1Shut off the main
Turn the main valve clockwise. If you use a private well or softener loop, close that too.
2Cut power in the wet zone
Do not stand in water near a panel or outlet. If you cannot reach the breaker dry, call the electric utility.
3Keep drains quiet
Skip the dishwasher, washer and showers if a drain is backing up. Extra water has nowhere to go.
4Document the damage
Take photos before anything is moved. Your homeowners insurer will want them.
Reaching 44202 from Solon
Our address is on Aurora Road, which is State Route 43, and that road carries you southeast into Aurora. Route 82 and Route 306 meet in the city too, so most addresses are a straightforward run once we leave the shop. Solon touches Aurora only at a corner, so we do not claim you are next door.
We also take drain cleaning calls in Hudson (44236) and water heater replacement calls in Twinsburg (44087), where the Twinsburg page lays out local details. Customers toward the northwest can see the Chagrin Falls page.
Aurora service area
Aurora homeowners ask us these things
Yes. We dispatch 24/7, nights, weekends and holidays included, from our Solon base on Aurora Road. Call (440) 468-0237 and describe what is happening, and we will tell you what to shut off while a licensed, insured plumber is on the way.
Aurora has one ZIP, 44202, and we cover it. USPS also lets Reminderville use that ZIP, so Aurora Shores, which straddles the Aurora and Reminderville line, falls inside our coverage. If your mail says Aurora or Reminderville, call.
Aurora runs a groundwater system from the Portage side and a Lake Erie system bought from Cleveland Water. Which streets get which is not published, so ask the city water department. It affects scale and whether a softener makes sense.
The city's residential permit sheet lists a replacement water heater permit. Check with the Planning, Zoning and Building Division before work starts, since they can tell you who inspects.
Yes. Aurora's own stormwater guide advises regular inspections. We test the float, the check valve and the discharge, and we tell you plainly if the pump is near the end.
Probably not. Portage County's building department says it does not serve Aurora or handle plumbing. Start with the city division and ask who reviews plumbing work for your address.
Sources and standards behind this page
Local facts and rules on this page come from these public sources. Check the current version before relying on a permit or code detail.