Sewer Lines (When is the City Responsible?)
This might not be an important topic to you right now, but it will be if you have severe issues with your sewer lines.
Stick around, it’s important to know when you are responsible versus when the city is responsible. I’m going to tell you everything I know about this certain topic.
When is the City Responsible for Sewer Lines?
The biggest question to be answered is this one. The city is responsible for sewer lines starting at the main underground sewer pipe. This is the sewer line pipe underneath your street that transports all waste water from residences around you to your city’s plant.
You do have a sewer line pipe that runs from your home to the main pipe out in the street. This is what carries your waste water from your home out to the street and then it transports to the plant.
There are several different types of sewer pipes that are in use for different purposes. Check out all of the different types of pipes in this blog linked here. There are many different advantages and disadvantages of each one. This will help you choose what’s right for your home if you do need a sewer repair or pipe replacement.
What Should I Know About My Main Sewer Line?
A main sewer line can be different depending on certain factors. For example, where you live and how old your property is are huge factors. The main concern is whether or not you have an issue with your sewer line that runs off your house. That is how you will know that the problem is yours to handle and not the city.
Sewer Lines: Upper and Lower Sewer Laterals
There are differences between the upper and lower sewer laterals. The upper sewer lateral includes the length of the pipe that is located closer to your home. It covers the area from your clean out to the sidewalk in front of your home. The lower sewer lateral includes the length of the pipe that is closer to the street and covers the sidewalk’s clean out to the main public sewer line.
Your Insurance May Be Able to Help
Check your insurance. Sometimes, your insurance will cover things like this. You can use this to your advantage because sewer repair or sewer line pipe replacement is not cheap! It also tends to be a bigger project that requires a lot of time and attention. Unfortunately, you will also have a portion of your yard destroyed just to get to the sewer line.
Moving into a New Home? Get a Plumbing Inspection
Before moving into a home, it is a good idea to have someone come and inspect the plumbing and pipelines. Getting a plumber to do an entire plumbing inspection before moving in is never a bad idea. This inspection can only help. They will be able to tell you whether or not the plumbing is in good shape or not.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, it is important to know when it is your responsibility to take care of sewer line issues on your property versus when it is the city’s responsibility. The initial issue is going to be how you figure out where the issue actually is.
Calling a plumber to see if they can locate the issue is a good place to start. They can run a camera inspection to see if they can find any issues. If they are unable to locate the problem, calling the city to come out and look at it would be your next best bet.
Call 1-Tom-Plumber
Don’t hesitate to contact us here or call us at 1-Tom-Plumber (1-866-758-6237) if you need any plumbing, drain cleaning, or excavation service.
1-Tom-Plumber’s certified team of plumbers and drain technicians respond immediately to any emergency plumbing, drain cleaning, or water damage problem.
We also handle the excavation of underground water lines and sewer main lines. Our immediate-response team is available every day and night of the year, even on holidays.
