A Sewer Lateral is the part of your sewer system that runs from the foundation of the house to the sewer-main, which is usually under the street. Most residents don’t give it much thought until there are backup problems.

The program is designed to assist residents with the high cost of replacing their sewer lateral line. These costs can range anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000 depending on the depth and length of your sewer line and the significance of the break. The program has a special fund to assist homeowners in meeting this expense. This is a break-even fund, with no additional tax support. Payments from the fund may be reduced due to the fund balance available.  Please contact the Public Works Department for more information on this funding.

The County collects a fee of $28 a year, or $7 per quarter from each residential property owner. This money then goes into a separate fund solely for sewer lateral repair. The annual fee is the maximum allowed by State Law so it could be reduced in the future but it cannot be increased.

The program covers 85% of the cost of the repair and the homeowner is responsible for 15%. For example if the total repair cost was $2,500, the City would pay $2,125 and the homeowner would be responsible for $375 plus the cost of the cabling of the line.

The homeowner is responsible for having the line cabled and videotaped to determine the extent of the break. If a break is identified the City will reimburse the owner for the cost of the videotaping. Program guidelines may be changed by City Council to give the best possible benefit to the residents within the limits of the funds available.