Who Owns the water pipe under the street?

I have a leaking water pipe due to the cold. The pipe is either broken between the shut off valve at the sidewalk, or under the street. The city wants me to believe I own the line from the house to the main, which includes 20 feet of city property. They also insist I need a permit to open said street to repair the pipe, although the escaping water is before the meter. When I research this question it seems most cities say they own the pipe from the shut off valve to the main. Are they bluffing because of budget problems?