Basement water service entrance
What's wrong here?
- The grounding electrode conductor is clamped on the house side of the meter with no jumper around it
- The bare grounding electrode conductor must be enclosed in conduit for its entire length
- The water pipe connection must be made within 5 ft of the water heater's cold-water inlet
- Nothing. This installation is compliant
Show the answer and the code reference
The answer
The grounding electrode conductor is clamped downstream of the water meter with no bonding jumper around the meter, so the connection to the underground water pipe electrode depends on the meter.
Correct choice: 1. The grounding electrode conductor is clamped on the house side of the meter with no jumper around it
Here the metal underground water pipe is the grounding electrode, but the GEC clamp sits on the house side of the meter, so the only path to earth runs through the meter's couplings and body. 250.53(D)(1) says continuity of the grounding path or the bonding connection to interior piping shall not rely on water meters, filtering devices, or similar equipment, and 250.68(B) requires bonding around equipment likely to be disconnected for repair or replacement. When the utility or a plumber pulls the meter, the electrode is cut off from the service, and anyone holding both pipe ends can end up carrying neutral current.
How to fix it
Install a bonding jumper around the meter with listed pipe clamps on both sides, sized to match the grounding electrode conductor per 250.66. Another option is to move the GEC connection to the street side of the meter, within the first 5 ft of entry, and still jumper the meter so the interior piping stays bonded.
Code references
NEC 2023 250.53(D)(1) — Continuity
Continuity of the grounding path or the bonding connection to interior piping shall not rely on water meters or filtering devices and similar equipment.
Drills citing 250.53(D)(1)NEC 2023 250.68(B) — Effective Grounding Path
The connection of a GEC or bonding jumper to an electrode shall ensure an effective grounding path; where necessary for a metal piping system used as an electrode, bonding shall be provided around insulated joints and around equipment likely to be disconnected for repairs or replacement.
Drills citing 250.68(B)NEC 2023 250.68(C)(1) — Grounding Electrode Conductor and Bonding Jumper Connection Locations
Interior metal water piping that is electrically continuous with a metal underground water pipe electrode and located not more than 5 ft from the point of entrance to the building is permitted to extend the connection to an electrode; interior metal water piping more than 5 ft from the point of entrance shall not be used as a conductor to interconnect electrodes of the grounding electrode system.
Drills citing 250.68(C)(1)
2026 NEC:not yet checked Confidence: low
Minnesota
Minnesota adopts the NEC as published, with no section-by-section amendments (Minn. Stat. 326B.35; Minn. Rules 1315.0200), so 250.53 and 250.68 read the same as in the 2023 NEC. The 2023 NEC governs permits filed from July 1, 2023 until the 2026 NEC took effect; for newer permits, check the section numbers in the 2026 edition. The water utility may also have its own meter-setting rules, so check with it before pulling or resetting a meter.
How Minnesota adopts the NECWhy the other choices are wrong
- The bare grounding electrode conductor must be enclosed in conduit for its entire length. 250.64(B)(1) lets a 6 AWG or larger copper GEC that is not exposed to physical damage run along the surface of the building without a raceway, as long as it is securely fastened.
- The water pipe connection must be made within 5 ft of the water heater's cold-water inlet. The 5 ft limit in 250.68(C)(1) is measured from where the water pipe enters the building, not from the water heater, and this clamp is well within 5 ft of pipe from where the service comes through the floor.
- Nothing. This installation is compliant. The only path from the clamp to the underground pipe runs through the meter's couplings, which 250.53(D)(1) forbids relying on.