Who pays for the sewer lateral in Colfax, 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 doNobody has put this in writing
What is known
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?
Colfax requires the lateral to be cleaned and tested before a property changes hands. Section 13.08.520(B) provides that building sewer laterals connected to the city's public sewer main "shall be cleaned and tested, at the property owner's expense", among other events "Prior to the close of escrow upon a sale or other transfer of the house, building, property or other structure served".
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
Colfax: official site(opens in a new tab)The documents this answer is built on
Who is responsible for which part
In Colfax the building sewer lateral is the owner's all the way to the wye at the public main. The code defines it as beginning "at the wye or point of connection with the public sewer" and provides that "Every property owner shall keep and maintain every building sewer lateral(s) connecting the property owner's premises to the public sewer main in good condition and repair."
- The property owner
- The whole building sewer lateral, from two feet outside the building wall to and including the wye at the main, in good condition and repair.
What else is worth knowing
Sources
Colfax Municipal Code section 13.08.505, DefinitionsWhat the rules say
Most relevant if you are remodelling or adding a unit
No rule on file here is specific to remodelling or adding a unit; that does not mean none exists.
Also in force here
Colfax requires the lateral to be cleaned and tested before a property changes hands. Section 13.08.520(B) provides that building sewer laterals connected to the city's public sewer main "shall be cleaned and tested, at the property owner's expense", among other events "Prior to the close of escrow upon a sale or other transfer of the house, building, property or other structure served".
What to do: If you are selling in Colfax, book the lateral cleaning and test with the City's requirements in mind well before escrow is due to close.
Colfax Municipal Code section 13.08.520(B)(6)Why this matters
The test comes before closing, and a lateral found in a defective condition - displaced joints, root intrusion, a damaged or missing cleanout, among others - is unlawful to keep, so a failed test can mean a repair before the sale.
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
- Colfax (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
All 3 of the 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. One of the two authorities does not say where its side ends, so the two answers cannot be compared here.
Who owns the water service line in ColfaxNearby cities and further reading
Look up a specific address
This page describes what applies to properties in Colfax in general. To see which authorities serve one address, and what records exist for it, search for it.
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