Who pays for the sewer lateral in Pismo Beach, CA
Which part of the pipe is yours
Yours all the way to the main under the road
Why, and what to do
If something’s wrong
If a repair needs a permit or an inspection
- Who issues it:
- City of Pismo Beach, director of public works
- What it covers:
- uncovering, connecting with, opening into, altering or disturbing any public sewer or its appurtenances
Pismo Beach Municipal Code section 13.14.080 provides: "No person(s) shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a permit from the director." The City's code puts the whole lateral, to the point of connection with the main, on the owner, so work that reaches the main or opens into it needs this permit from the director of public works first.
Buying or selling?
No rule on file here is specific to selling or buying; that does not mean none exists.
Planning work?
The remodelling rule in full, with its sourcesWho to call first about the sewer lateral
Pismo Beach: official site(opens in a new tab)The documents this answer is built on
Who is responsible for which part
Pismo Beach puts the whole lateral on the property owner, from the building to the City's sewer main. Section 13.14.040 of the municipal code defines the building sewer as the sewer lateral "which extends from a point two feet outside of the building to the point of connection with the public sewer main", and section 13.14.190 provides that "Each owner of a building sewer shall maintain the sewer in a water-tight and gas-tight condition at all times." The City's Public Works answers say the same: "The City is responsible for the sewer main only. The customer is responsible for the sewer lateral from their building to the main."
- The property owner
- The whole lateral, the part under the street included, from the building to the point where it connects with the City's sewer main. Under section 13.14.190, "All defects in the building sewer which prevent it from being gas-tight and water-tight shall be repaired by the owner within ninety days after notification by the city", and the repair is inspected by the City. Section 13.14.100 provides that any connection to the sewerage system, "including the piping within any public right-of-way, shall be installed at the sole expense of the owner of the property served." The code does not say whether the fitting on the main is the owner's or the City's.
What else is worth knowing
Sources
Pismo Beach Municipal Code section 13.14.190, Building sewer to be maintained in water-tight and gas-tight conditionWhat the rules say
Most relevant if you are selling or buying
No rule on file here is specific to selling or buying; that does not mean none exists.
Also in force here
- Who issues it:
- City of Pismo Beach, director of public works
- What it covers:
- uncovering, connecting with, opening into, altering or disturbing any public sewer or its appurtenances
Pismo Beach Municipal Code section 13.14.080 provides: "No person(s) shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a permit from the director." The City's code puts the whole lateral, to the point of connection with the main, on the owner, so work that reaches the main or opens into it needs this permit from the director of public works first.
What to do: Before uncovering or connecting to the City's sewer, apply to the City of Pismo Beach director of public works for a permit on the City's form and pay the fees it sets. Ask how the connection must be tested.
Pismo Beach Municipal Code section 13.14.080, Permit required prior to connectionWhy this matters
Under section 13.14.090, applications for connections to a city sewer are made by the owner or the owner's agent "on a form furnished by the city", with whatever plans and information the director considers pertinent. Section 13.14.100 provides that such connections "shall not be made without prior authorization of the director, receipt of an acceptable complete application, and payment of all applicable fees and charges", and section 13.14.160 requires the connection to be made gas-tight and water-tight and verified by proper testing.
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
- Pismo Beach (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
5 of the 7 nearest cities draw the line somewhere else. Each authority publishes only its own rule.
Nearby cities and further reading
Look up a specific address
This page describes what applies to properties in Pismo Beach in general. To see which authorities serve one address, and what records exist for it, search for it.
Search for an address