Who pays for the sewer lateral in Pleasanton, CA
Which part of the pipe is yours
Yours all the way to the main under the road
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
- Who issues it:
- City of Pleasanton
- What it covers:
- constructing, installing, altering or repairing a side sewer, service lateral or trunk sewer, and any excavation in a public right-of-way
Pleasanton names the repair in its own permit section. Section 15.32.020 provides that "Application for permission to construct, install, alter or repair a side sewer, service lateral or trunk sewer shall be made to the city", and that "No construction shall commence until city approval of the application and issuance of a permit for the construction has been obtained". Digging in the street needs a second permit: section 15.32.050 provides that "No excavation shall be made in any state highway, county road, city street, easement, or other public right-of-way within the city limits, unless and until an encroachment permit has been issued therefor".
Who to call first about the sewer lateral
Pleasanton: official site(opens in a new tab)The documents this answer is built on
Who is responsible for which part
Pleasanton keeps the trunk sewers and gives the owner both lengths of pipe that reach it. Section 15.32.100 provides that "The city shall maintain all trunk sewers. Maintenance of side sewers and service laterals shall be the responsibility of the property owner served by such sewers." Section 15.08.480 defines the service lateral as "the pipe between the trunk line and the user's side sewer connection at the edge of the street or easement".
- The property owner
- The side sewer and the service lateral, from the building to the trunk line. The side sewer is "a pipe connecting to a service lateral from a house or other structure", and the service lateral carries on from the edge of the street or easement to the trunk line - the City's name for the main, "a main sewer line to which two or more service laterals are connected".
What else is worth knowing
Sources
Pleasanton Municipal Code section 15.32.100, Maintenance responsibilityWhat 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
- Who issues it:
- City of Pleasanton
- What it covers:
- constructing, installing, altering or repairing a side sewer, service lateral or trunk sewer, and any excavation in a public right-of-way
Pleasanton names the repair in its own permit section. Section 15.32.020 provides that "Application for permission to construct, install, alter or repair a side sewer, service lateral or trunk sewer shall be made to the city", and that "No construction shall commence until city approval of the application and issuance of a permit for the construction has been obtained". Digging in the street needs a second permit: section 15.32.050 provides that "No excavation shall be made in any state highway, county road, city street, easement, or other public right-of-way within the city limits, unless and until an encroachment permit has been issued therefor".
What to do: Apply to the City for the sewer permit before any work starts, and if the repair reaches the street or easement, apply for the encroachment permit too - it comes with a cash deposit or bond. If you plan to do the work on your own land yourself, confirm with the City that it is solely on private property and book the inspection; anything beyond the edge of the street needs a licensed contractor.
Pleasanton Municipal Code section 15.32.020, Construction permit requiredWhy this matters
Two things make this different from most cities. The sewer permit reaches a repair in so many words - most sewer chapters are written for new connections and leave a repair to be argued - so there is no doubt that a lateral repair needs one. And the licensed-contractor rule depends on where the work is: section 15.32.030 makes it unlawful for anyone who is not a licensed contractor or master plumber "to install or construct any sewer", but adds that one "is not necessary for work done solely on private property", which remains "subject to inspection by city representatives". So a homeowner may relay the side sewer on their own land, and may not touch the service lateral under the street.
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
- Pleasanton (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; your water line stops being yours at the meter.
Who owns the water service line in PleasantonNearby cities and further reading
Look up a specific address
This page describes what applies to properties in Pleasanton in general. To see which authorities serve one address, and what records exist for it, search for it.
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