Who pays for the sewer lateral in Belmont, CA
Which part of the pipe is yours
Yours all the way to the main, including the fitting where it joins
Why, and what to doYours from the meter to your building
Why, and what to do
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?
No rule on file here is specific to selling or buying; that does not mean none exists.
Planning work?
Belmont ties a sewer lateral certificate to large building projects. Section 21-212 provides that "A real property owner must possess a valid sewer lateral certificate issued under section 21-213 before receiving a final building permit for: (1) Improvements valued by the building official at two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) or more; or (2) Work associated with a change in water service".
Who to call first about the sewer lateral
Belmont: official site(opens in a new tab)The documents this answer is built on
Who is responsible for which part
Belmont puts every portion of the lateral on the owner, the connection to the main included. Section 21-210 provides that "A property owner must install and maintain in good repair all portions of the sewer lateral servicing his or her property including the connection of the lateral to the public sewer main and any back flow prevention devices or cleanouts required by this chapter or chapter 7."
- The property owner
- The whole lateral from the building to the public sewer main, the connection included, with any required backflow devices and cleanouts. The City can order repairs: where a lateral is damaged or likely to leak or back up, "the city manager may issue a notice to repair to the property owner", with a date by which the owner must repair or replace it.
What else is worth knowing
Sources
Belmont City Code section 21-210, Property owner responsible for installation and maintenance of sewer lateralsWhat 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
Belmont ties a sewer lateral certificate to large building projects. Section 21-212 provides that "A real property owner must possess a valid sewer lateral certificate issued under section 21-213 before receiving a final building permit for: (1) Improvements valued by the building official at two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) or more; or (2) Work associated with a change in water service".
What to do: Before a project that may reach $200,000, or any change to the water meter, ask the City whether the property already holds a valid certificate. If not, schedule the lateral testing and inspection early, so any repair it finds is done before the final inspection rather than holding it up.
Belmont City Code section 21-212, Disclosure and sewer lateral certificate; when requiredWhy this matters
Without the certificate the building permit cannot be finalled, so the lateral becomes part of the project's schedule and budget. There are two ways to earn one under section 21-213: the whole lateral "was lawfully constructed within the past fifteen (15) years", or "The property owner has shown by testing and inspection to the director's satisfaction that the sewer lateral is in good repair and condition" - a tested certificate normally lasts four years. On a sale Belmont requires disclosure rather than a certificate: the owner "must disclose the requirements of this article to the interested parties" - the buyer, the brokers and escrow.
What this page cannot tell you
- No assistance or grant programme has been reviewed for this jurisdiction yet.
Who governs and serves this area
- Jurisdiction
- Belmont (municipality)
- Sewer service
How this compares to neighbouring cities
6 of the 8 nearest cities draw the line somewhere else. Each authority publishes only its own rule.
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 BelmontNearby cities and further reading
Look up a specific address
This page describes what applies to properties in Belmont in general. To see which authorities serve one address, and what records exist for it, search for it.
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