Who Owns the Sewer Line? Salt Lake City Laterals Explained
The rule
Salt Lake City's sewer system management plan says that, by ordinance, sewer laterals are owned and maintained by individual property owners. The lateral is the pipe that carries everything from your house to the public sewer main, which is usually under the street. The city owns and maintains the main; you own the lateral, including the part under the park strip and the sidewalk.
What happens when you report a backup
The city's plan describes the order. When a backup is reported, city crews check the public main first. If the main is clear, the problem is turned back to the property owner. That is worth knowing at 7am with a floor drain overflowing: if neighbours are having the same problem, call the city; if it is only you, the blockage is almost certainly in your lateral or your house drains.
The city's GIS pages include a sewer lateral map and note that city locators do not mark private lines, so a plumber with a camera and a locator is the usual way to find exactly where yours runs.
The connection to the main
City code treats the junction where the lateral meets the main as a special case: if that junction pipe is damaged, it is replaced, with the city performing the installation for a fee listed on its consolidated fee schedule. If a camera shows the failure right at the main, ask the plumber how that part is handled before agreeing to a price for the whole run.
Older lots, older laterals
Houses built before the middle of the last century in the Avenues, Sugar House, Liberty Wells and Yalecrest often still have clay or cast-iron laterals. Clay has joints every few feet that let roots in. Cast iron scales up and cracks along the bottom. Both tend to fail slowly, with backups that start in spring and fall when roots are most active, then become more frequent.
The camera inspection first
Before any decision about repair, a recorded camera inspection after the line is cleared shows what is wrong and where. Ask for the footage and the depth and location readings. With those, you can compare quotes for the same work rather than three different guesses. If you are buying an older house, a lateral inspection before closing is one of the better few hundred dollars you can spend.
Repair options
- Spot repair: dig and replace a single failed section, when the rest of the line is sound
- Lining: a resin liner cured inside the old pipe, avoiding most digging where the line is suitable
- Full replacement: a new lateral from house to main, sometimes the only option for a collapsed line
Work in the street or park strip needs city permits and traffic control, which adds cost and time. Millcreek, Holladay, South Salt Lake and West Valley City are served by different sewer providers with their own rules, so check with yours.
Where to go next
Common questions
Is the sewer line under the street my responsibility in Salt Lake City?
The lateral, from your house to the main, is. Salt Lake City’s sewer plan says laterals are owned and maintained by property owners. The main itself belongs to the city.
How do I know if the backup is the city’s problem?
If neighbours on the same main are backing up too, it may be the main. If only your house is affected, it is almost always the lateral or the house drains.
Does homeowner insurance cover a broken lateral?
Often not by default. Some insurers offer a service line endorsement. Read your policy or ask your agent before you need it.