When to Call for a Sewer Repair

Sewer Lateral Maintenance & Repair

Your sewer lateral is the pipe that transports wastewater from your home or building to Padre Dam's sewer main and waste-water collection system. Maintenance of a sewer lateral is the cleaning of debris, root cutting, and any procedure used to keep the entire length of the sewer lateral clean and functional.

Graphic diagraming the parts of a private sewer lateral line

Maintenance

The property owner is responsible for the maintenance of the entire length of the sewer lateral, including both the private property portion of the lateral and the public right-of-way portion of the lateral. The property owner is responsible for any expense incurred by the property owner in determining or relieving the cause of any stoppage in the sewer lateral.

Padre Dam may provide assistance in the event that the property owner's plumber or sewer cleaning service fails to clear a stoppage in the public right-of-way portion of the sewer lateral.

Repair

The property owner is responsible for repairing any part of the private property portion of the sewer lateral. Repairs made to the private property portion of the lateral should be made by a licensed plumber or sewer cleaning service.

If repairs are required in the public right-of-way portion of the sewer lateral, the property owner must provide Padre Dam with a videotape or DVD of the problem by a licensed plumber or sewer cleaning service. If the documentation verifies a repair issue, and not a maintenance issue, Padre Dam will make the repair at no cost to the property owner.