Wastewater Lateral Maintenance Policy

Wastewater Building Lateral Maintenance Policy Adopted by City Council December 6, 1967

• The property owner is responsible for maintaining the entire wastewater lateral from the wastewater main to the building. Maintenance includes rodding, flushing, roto-rootering, etc.
• The property owner is responsible for costs of determining maintenance and/or repair needs for the entire lateral.
• When the wastewater lateral needs to be repaired, the City will only repair the lateral from the wastewater main to the property line, at no cost to the property owner.
  • In cases where the wastewater main is in a rear/side yard easement, the demarcation will be at the property line clean out, and if there is no property line clean out the demarcation will be at the water shut off at the easement line.
  • The property line cleanout could be located on either side of the property line or easement line, see Public Works Department Standard Plan 201.
• The above clean outs must be (re)installed by the property owner whenever their portion of the lateral is being replaced or repaired. The City will normally install the property line clean out if the City portion is being replaced. (In cases of laterals existing before January 1987 where the building clean out is within 25 feet of the property line, the property line clean out installation may be waived by the Public Works Department.)
  • In cases where the wastewater main is in a rear/side yard easement, the demarcation will be at the property line clean out, and if there is no property line clean out the demarcation will be at the water shut off at the easement line.
  • The property line cleanout could be located on either side of the property line or easement line, see Public Works Department Standard Plan 201.
• For wastewater problems that do not appear to be the property owner’s responsibility, call the City Utilities Operator at 368-5735, option 2. The City will confirm if it’s their problem.