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Water Utilities > Customer Education > Sewer System > Lateral and Service Line

Lateral and Service Line

Sewer laterals and water service lines are pipes that connect a home or business to the public water and sewer systems. Property owners are responsible for these pipes. That includes inspection, cleaning, maintenance, repair and/or replacement if necessary.

Things You Should Know    

  • The property owner is typically responsible for the water service line from the building to the meter. 
  • Sometimes, sewer laterals are constructed under the street before connecting to the public system. If it fails under the street, the property owner is responsible for the lateral repair and any damages to the street or other public improvements. 
  • Lateral lines can crack, break or leak for various reasons, including age or the infiltration of tree and shrubbery roots. 
  • There are private water and sewer line protection programs available to property owners. 
  • Backups and damages to your home or property are not typically covered by warranty providers. 

If you are concerned about the condition of your sewer lateral, contact a plumbing company to have your line inspected for potential damage and/or cleaned. 

Homeowner Responsibility of lateral lines

Private Sewer Lateral Repair Program

The Private Sewer Lateral Repair Program offers financial assistance to help residents address structural issues in private sanitary sewer lateral lines located beneath city-owned streets and public roadways. This program helps ensure the integrity of the public sewer system by supporting timely repairs to damaged or deteriorating private laterals, reducing the risk of backups, sinkholes, and other costly emergency fixes. Eligible property owners can apply for assistance with repair costs related to qualifying defects.

Find out if you are eligible

Sewer Laterals and the City

Learn about sewer laterals, how they work, the City's and the homeowner's responsibilities and when to call Water Utilities.