What the lateral is
The sewer lateral is the private pipe that carries waste from your house to the public sewer main. The main usually runs down the middle of the street, or sometimes along an easement behind the houses. Laterals are typically four to six inches across, while mains are larger.
When a lateral cracks, fills with roots or caves in, the question is always the same: who pays to fix it? In this part of Los Angeles County and north Orange County, the answer is nearly always you, the owner.
City by city
| City | Who maintains the lateral | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Whittier | The property owner | The city asks for a camera video with distance measurements before issuing a lateral repair permit |
| La Habra | The property owner, up to and including the connection at the main | The owner also handles routine and emergency cleaning, and street digging needs an encroachment permit |
| Norwalk | The property owner, including the part in the public right-of-way | Street sections are the owner’s cost too |
| La Mirada | The property owner, per LA County Public Works | Mains are maintained through the county’s Consolidated Sewer Maintenance District |
We couldn’t find a published Pico Rivera rule specific enough to summarize here, so check with the city’s Public Works Department before assuming either way.
Whittier in detail
Whittier’s city code says the owner of each house must keep its sewer pipe and fittings safe and clean. The city takes care of the public main in the street.
The city’s lateral repair procedure adds a practical step. Before it issues a permit for lateral work, it asks for an inspection video of the lateral with the distances shown on screen. So in Whittier, the order is camera first, then permit, then repair.
The street section surprises people
Many owners assume the city covers the part of the lateral under the street. In the cities above, it doesn’t. La Habra’s code runs the owner’s responsibility right up to and including the connection at the main. Norwalk and LA County Public Works both say the owner’s lateral includes the portion under the public right-of-way.
That part is often the most costly to fix, because it can mean cutting the pavement, closing a lane and getting extra permits.
What this means when your line backs up
- Stop running water and flushing, so the backup doesn’t get worse.
- If sewage is coming out of a manhole or into the street, call the city, because that points to the main.
- If the backup is inside your house or at your cleanout, call a plumber, since the problem is almost always in your lateral.
- Ask for a camera inspection and a copy of the video before agreeing to a repair.
Does insurance help?
Standard homeowners policies vary on sewer lines, and some offer an add-on for service line repair. Check your policy before you need it, because the cost of a street section repair is exactly what that coverage is for.