Pipes that carry wastewater away are mostly out of sight, but they deserve your attention. From your house, one line runs to the street. In most cities along the Wasatch Front, that line is owner-maintained. Roots, grease, wipes, and snowmelt can all cause trouble. This guide covers warning signs of problems, common causes, pipe materials, root intrusion, who is responsible, inspection and cleaning methods, backwater valves, freezing risks, septic systems, prevention steps, and price factors for repairs.
Key takeaways
- The sewer lateral from your house to the street main is owner-maintained in Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, and Davis County districts.
- The EPA lists fats, oils, grease, and wipes as first-named causes of sewer blockages.
- Roots enter through pipe defects and cause more than half of blockages, according to a Forest Service review.
- Utah's plumbing code requires a backwater valve for any fixtures below the next upstream manhole cover.
- A camera inspection is the standard method because it sees what a cable cannot.
Why Your Home's Drain and Sewer System Deserves Attention
Pipes that carry wastewater away are mostly out of sight, but they deserve your attention. From your house, one line runs to the street. In most cities along the Wasatch Front, that line is owner-maintained. Roots, grease, wipes, and snowmelt can all cause trouble. This guide covers warning signs of problems, common causes, pipe materials, root intrusion, who is responsible, inspection and cleaning methods, backwater valves, freezing risks, septic systems, prevention steps, and price factors for repairs.
Early Warning Signs of Sewer Trouble
If you see sewage rising steadily in a floor drain and no water is running inside your home, the street main is likely blocked. This is a serious situation that requires immediate attention. A small backup that comes and goes, or a slow backup that develops over time, usually means your sewer lateral - the pipe connecting your home to the main sewer line - is probably blocked.
The EPA lists several warning signs to watch for. Sewage backing into fixtures like sinks, tubs, or toilets is a clear indicator of a problem. Standing water around your property, damp ground that does not dry out, or patches of bright green spongy grass can also signal trouble. These signs are especially important to notice if they appear over a septic tank or over a drainfield.
After a backup occurs, the EPA advises that you clean and disinfect the affected area thoroughly.
MYTH: Wipes labeled as flushable are safe to flush down your toilet.
FACT: A 2019 Toronto Metropolitan University study tested 101 products, and none of the 23 labeled flushable passed. The EPA stated in March 2020 that you should flush only toilet paper.
What causes sewer clogs and backups
Every year in the United States, between 23,000 and 75,000 sewer overflows occur, according to the EPA. That count does not include backups that enter buildings. The most common causes of blockages are fats, oils, and grease; wipes; and sanitary products. When grease clings to roots inside a pipe, it speeds a blockage.
A Forest Service review found that roots cause over 50% of sewer blockages. Roots enter through cracks and through joints in the pipe. Four factors make a sewer line more vulnerable to root intrusion: old pipes with many joints, shallow pipes, small-diameter pipes, and fast-growing tree species planted nearby. Leaky joints also allow groundwater and stormwater into the system, which can overload the sewer. Snowmelt adds to the volume. Line breaks and pump-station power failures can cause backups as well.
Salt Lake City Public Utilities maintains about 653 miles of sewer. The first line was laid in 1889. Provo has more than 320 miles of sewer. In older sections of the Wasatch Front, aging infrastructure with many joints is common, making root blockages a frequent problem for homeowners.
A sewer lateral is the pipe that carries wastewater from your house to the public sewer main in the street. A building drain is the lowest horizontal drain pipe inside your house that collects waste from all fixtures before it leaves the foundation.
Tree Roots and Your Sewer Line
A Forest Service review found that tree roots are the worst cause of lateral line intrusion. Laterals are shallower than main lines, making them more vulnerable. A European survey cited in the review reported willow trees responsible for 30 percent of root intrusions, birch for 25 percent, poplar for 23 percent, and elm for 6 percent. Trees planted within 3 meters of a line accounted for 48 percent of intrusions, while those 3 to 6 meters away accounted for 44 percent.
Cutting roots can stimulate regrowth after each cut. The EPA notes that chemical control using liquid or foam can be applied, followed by mechanical removal. Salt Lake City Public Utilities uses cutting and foam as part of their approach.
USU Extension lists trees to avoid planting near sewer lines. These include willows, poplars and cottonwoods, quaking aspen, silver maple, and Russian olive. Before any digging project, call 811 to locate underground utilities. The EPA advises keeping trees off a drainfield to prevent root damage.
Pipe materials and what fails
Older homes in the Wasatch Front may have pipes made from materials no longer used. One example is bituminized fiber pipe, known by the brand name Orangeburg. It was made from wood fiber and coal-tar pitch. A federal standard, CS116-44, was issued in 1944 for house sewer connections. Vitrified clay pipe can develop cracks. It can also collapse under load, according to an EPA paper. Cast iron pipe can corrode, on the inside or outside. That corrosion ends in breaks, the EPA paper states. Plastics can have stress cracking and leaking joints, the same paper notes.
Modern sewers commonly use PVC, according to a Forest Service review. PVC pipe has flexible joints. Other modern materials include ABS, polyethylene, and polypropylene.
Utah's plumbing code, Table 702.3, allows these materials today: ABS, cast iron, concrete, copper, polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, PVDF, stainless steel, and vitrified clay. Fiber pipe is not listed. Under Utah code 703.2, for filled or unstable ground, only ABS, cast iron, copper, PVC, or polypropylene are allowed. Utah code 707.1 prohibits certain joints: cement, mastic, and hot-pour bituminous.
Who Maintains the Sewer Lateral
The sewer lateral is the pipe that carries wastewater from your home to the main sewer line in the street. Generally, the property owner is responsible for maintaining the lateral all the way to the main connection. In most Utah cities, such as Provo, the city does not pay for damage caused by no-fault backups, and claims for damage must be filed within one year. The city also does not guarantee payment for repairs. In Ogden, work within the street right-of-way requires a permit, and you must use a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor. The private portion of the lateral needs a plumbing permit. If you share a lateral with a neighbor, all owners share the responsibility for it.
Utah Code 15A-3-307 requires that any building within 300 feet of a sewer must be connected to it. The South Davis Sewer District serves Bountiful and four neighboring cities. The district was formed in 1959. The property owner builds the lateral at their own expense. The district inspects the lateral before backfill. The district has a lining program, and if your lateral is lined, the owner's section is lined too. The owner pays for the materials.
| Where | Who maintains the lateral | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | The property owner | By ordinance, to the main |
| Provo | The property owner | No-fault backups; one-year claim window |
| Ogden | The resident | Shared lateral: all connected owners |
| Bountiful (South Davis Sewer District) | Owner builds and connects | District may take street portion by agreement |
| Farmington, Fruit Heights, Kaysville (Central Davis Sewer District) | The property owner | Owner-owned and maintained |
The rules vary by city and district, but the owner is almost always responsible for the lateral from the house to the main. Knowing your local requirements before a problem starts can save time and confusion.
Inspection and cleaning methods
Camera inspection
The EPA identifies closed-circuit television inspection as the most used and most effective method for sewers. A recorded camera survey is required by code section 716.3 before pipe bursting, and it must note cleanouts and connection depths. The NASSCO organization trains plumbers to code findings through its BSDI program for building drains and LACP program for laterals, with certification valid for three years. Code section 703.4 requires examination of under-slab drains internally before whole-system replacement. In Salt Lake City, 10% of sewers are inspected by camera yearly, and 35% are cleaned yearly.
See inside your pipes before you dig.
Cleaning and repair methods
Jetting uses high-velocity water to remove grease and debris, working best in flat, slow pipes and smaller pipes. Rodding or cabling uses a rotating cutter to break grease, cut roots, and loosen debris for stubborn stoppages, but it loosens without removing material. Sand and grit should be flushed instead. A jet hose placed in the wrong line or using too much water creates a basement backup risk. Enzyme additives work only under certain conditions. Trenchless repair methods include cured-in-place lining, pipe bursting, and sliplining, all requiring far less digging. Connections are reinstated afterward. Utah's code allows bursting for pipes 6 inches and smaller, using replacement pipe of HDPE SDR 17, under sections 717 and 718. Relining is a form of rehabilitation.
Valves and winter prep
Backwater valves explained
Utah's plumbing code section 714.1 requires a backwater valve when any fixture on a floor is below the next upstream manhole cover. Fixtures above that level must not drain through the valve. Existing buildings are excepted from this requirement. The valve must meet standards ASME A112.14.1 or CSA B181. Code sections 714.2 through 714.3 require access for service. A basement drain without gravity flow needs a vented sump with a pump or ejector and a check valve under section 712. South Davis Sewer District advises installing backflow valves and basement water alarms. Keep valuables off basement floors.
Cold weather precautions
Code section 305.4 requires that pipes in attics, crawl spaces, or exterior walls be insulated or heated. An exterior water supply line must be at least 6 inches below the frost line and at least 12 inches deep. Sewer burial depth is a local decision; there is no statewide frost depth. According to the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, the last spring freeze is April 30. The first fall freeze is October 15. The first 20°F day is November 28. The last 20°F day is February 24. The record low was -30°F in February 1933. The normal January low is about 19°F.
Septic Systems on the Wasatch Front
Utah rule R317-4 covers small onsite wastewater systems. A construction permit and an operating permit are required from your county health department. In Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, and Weber-Morgan counties, these permits are issued locally. The Utah DEQ certifies onsite professionals who install and maintain these systems.
If your property is within 300 feet of a public sewer line, Utah code 15A-3-307 requires you to connect instead of using a septic system. In Davis County, you must obtain a Statement of Feasibility before building on septic. The EPA recommends inspecting your system every three years. Pumping should occur every three to five years, depending on household size, wastewater volume, solids, and tank size. Pumps or floats need a yearly inspection. Additives are not recommended.
Never park on the drainfield. Keep roof drains and sump discharge away from the system. In Davis County, no sprinklers, decks, patios, courts, or driveways are allowed over the tank or field. Only shallow-rooted plants should be planted there.
Prevention and the plumbing that helps
Utah's plumbing code requires cleanouts at several locations in your home's drain system. A cleanout must be installed at the junction of the building drain and sewer, or within 10 feet of that point (code section 708.1.3). Additional cleanouts are needed every 100 feet along the sewer line (708.1.2), and at any turn greater than 45 degrees (708.1.4). For sewers under 8 inches in diameter, cleanouts must be brought to grade with the plug at or above ground level (708.1.11). Each cleanout requires 18 inches of clearance for access (708.1.10), and must be the same size as the pipe, up to 4 inches (708.1.5).
Drain slope is also regulated by code. According to Table 704.1, pipes smaller than 3 inches need a slope of 1/4 inch per foot. For pipes 3 to 6 inches, the slope can be 1/8 inch per foot. Larger pipes require a slope of 1/16 inch per foot. Tracer wire must be installed along underground sewer lines, ending at the cleanout (code section 15A-3-303). This wire helps locate the line later if repairs are needed.
Household habits play a large role in preventing clogs. Cooled fats, oils, and grease should go into a covered container and then into the trash. The South Davis Sewer District and the Salt Lake City do-not-flush list both identify items that should never go down the drain: wipes, cotton products, menstrual products, dental floss, paper towels, medication, and cigarette butts. The EPA reports that indoor water use averages 70 gallons per person daily. A running toilet can waste 200 gallons each day.
What Does This Cost?
We base every drain and sewer price on the specific conditions at your property. Depth of the pipe and how easily we can reach it are the first factors we weigh. An open trench costs differently than trenchless lining, and reinstating connections after the repair adds its own step. If a right-of-way permit or a separate district permit is needed, that changes the scope. A shared lateral means the owners split the cost, and root cutting repeats while chemical control lasts longer. Septic pumps require a yearly inspection. Blue Best quotes an exact price in writing before any work begins.
