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Who pays for the sewer lateral in Avalon, CA

Which part of the pipe is yours

your buildingproperty linesidewalkstreetmain
The thick length is yours.

If something’s wrong

If a repair needs a permit or an inspection

No rule on file here is specific to a repair; that does not mean none exists.

Buying or selling?

  • When you sell · Inspection

    Avalon requires the lateral to be inspected before a sale. Section 6-7.304(c) provides that "A property owner shall have the private sewer lateral inspected by a licensed plumber prior to and as a condition precedent to any sale of the property", and that the inspection report goes to the buyer, with a copy to the City, before the sale.

The sale rule in full, with its sources

Planning work?

No rule on file here is specific to remodelling or adding a unit; that does not mean none exists.

Who to call first about the sewer lateral

BelowGrid has no first-call guidance on file from Avalon about the sewer lateral.

Avalon: official site(opens in a new tab)The documents this answer is built on

Who is responsible for which part

In Avalon the private sewer lateral belongs to the property owner all the way to the public sewer, including the wye or saddle where it joins. Section 6-7.303 of the City's code provides that "The private sewer laterals are the property of the property owner and are not part of the public sewer", and that each owner shall, at the owner's expense, "inspect, maintain in good working order, repair, rehabilitate and replace, as necessary, the private sewer lateral".

The property owner
The private sewer lateral, which section 6-7.101 defines as "the privately owned sanitary sewer piping or line connecting a building or other structure to the public sewer", including the wye or saddle at the public sewer. The City's Private Sewer Lateral Program page says the same: "The property owner is responsible for maintenance and repair of the lateral from the building all the way to the point of connection with the public sewer main often located in the middle of the street."

What else is worth knowing

Nothing splits the lateral between the City and the owner; it continues into the street to the public sewer, and the fitting on the main is part of it. Where the part needing repair is in the public right-of-way, the City's page says an excavation permit from the City is required. The City can also require an inspection by notice when it finds a lateral defective, and then order the corrective work by a date it sets.

Sources

Avalon Municipal Code section 6-7.303, Private Sewer Lateral Inspection, Maintenance, Repair, Rehabilitation and Replacement

Also quoted:

Checked

What the rules say

Most relevant if you are repairing or replacing the pipe

No rule on file here is specific to repairing or replacing the pipe; that does not mean none exists.

Also in force here

  • When you sellInspection

    Avalon requires the lateral to be inspected before a sale. Section 6-7.304(c) provides that "A property owner shall have the private sewer lateral inspected by a licensed plumber prior to and as a condition precedent to any sale of the property", and that the inspection report goes to the buyer, with a copy to the City, before the sale.

    What to do: If you are selling in Avalon, have a licensed plumber video-inspect the lateral early, leave time for any corrective work before the sale, and ask the City's Public Works department for the certification forms.

    Why this matters

    The inspection includes at least a video inspection, and the report lists the corrective actions the lateral needs. Under section 6-7.305(b) the owner must have a licensed plumber carry out those corrective actions before the sale and tell the City in writing that they are done, though "The property owner and the buyer may agree on who will pay for the costs of the corrective work." The City's page says an outside cleanout is needed for the City to conduct a lateral inspection.

    In force since · Checked

    Avalon Municipal Code section 6-7.304(c)

    Also quoted:

What this page cannot tell you

  • No assistance or grant programme has been reviewed for this jurisdiction yet.
  • No sewer service territory has been mapped for this area, so BelowGrid cannot say who serves an individual address.

Who governs and serves this area

Jurisdiction
Avalon (municipality)
Sewer service
No map of sewer providers is held here. BelowGrid cannot say which sewer provider serves an individual address.

How this compares to neighbouring cities

7 of the 8 nearest cities draw the line somewhere else. Each authority publishes only its own rule.

Distances are approximate, in a straight line between the places’ centres.

Compare the rules city by city

Your other pipe: the water service line

The drinking water line coming into your property is a separate pipe, run by a separate authority, and who is responsible for it is decided separately. Your sewer lateral is yours to the main, fitting included; your water line stops being yours at the meter.

Who owns the water service line in Avalon

Nearby cities and further reading

Look up a specific address

This page describes what applies to properties in Avalon in general. To see which authorities serve one address, and what records exist for it, search for it.

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