Who pays for the sewer lateral in Santa Cruz, 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?
Santa Cruz requires the lateral to be inspected, and fixed, before a property changes hands. Section 16.08.066 provides that "All residential, commercial, and industrial buildings shall have the building sanitary sewer inspected for any defects and any repairs needed shall be completed prior to the sale of property to meet the city's standards", and that "The seller, prior to the sale of property, shall be responsible for complying with the requirements of this chapter and for obtaining a sanitary sewer inspection certificate for sale of property before the conclusion of the sale of property".
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
Santa Cruz: official site(opens in a new tab)The documents this answer is built on
Who is responsible for which part
Santa Cruz puts the whole lateral and its connection on the owner, and says the street length is included. Section 16.08.060 provides that "The property owner shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair and proper operation of the building sanitary sewer (sanitary sewer lateral) and/or private sanitary sewer collection system that connects the building(s) to the public sanitary sewer, including the connection, regardless of whether any part of the building sanitary sewer or private sanitary sewer collection system is located on private property or within the public right-of-way."
- The property owner
- The building sanitary sewer from the building to the public sewer, the connection included, on the lot and under the street. The same section adds that "The city shall have no responsibility or obligation for the maintenance, repair, or proper operation of such building sanitary sewer".
What else is worth knowing
Sources
Santa Cruz Municipal Code chapter 16.08, Sewer System OrdinanceWhat the rules say
Most relevant if you are selling or buying
Santa Cruz requires the lateral to be inspected, and fixed, before a property changes hands. Section 16.08.066 provides that "All residential, commercial, and industrial buildings shall have the building sanitary sewer inspected for any defects and any repairs needed shall be completed prior to the sale of property to meet the city's standards", and that "The seller, prior to the sale of property, shall be responsible for complying with the requirements of this chapter and for obtaining a sanitary sewer inspection certificate for sale of property before the conclusion of the sale of property".
What to do: If you are selling, book the inspection early, before listing - ask Public Works which inspectors it accepts - and check first whether one of the exemptions applies. If you are buying and the seller proposes transferring the repairs to you, get the inspection report that shows what is needed and price the work into the offer - you will have ninety days after closing to finish it.
Santa Cruz Municipal Code chapter 16.08, Sewer System OrdinanceWhy this matters
The certificate is a condition of closing, and the repairs come first. A buyer can take the repairs on instead: under section 16.08.066(1)(b) the seller and buyer "may mutually agree to transfer responsibility for making any needed repairs", the seller hands over proof of inspection, and "The buyer shall then complete the repairs to meet the city's standards no later than ninety calendar days after the date of the sale" - with the signed transfer form filed before the sale. Section 16.08.068 exempts a lateral "constructed or completely replaced after 2010 and twenty years or less prior to the property sale date", one that "was inspected and met city standards less than five years prior to the property sale date", and transfers that are not a reassessable 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
- Santa Cruz (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. 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 Santa CruzNearby cities and further reading
Look up a specific address
This page describes what applies to properties in Santa Cruz in general. To see which authorities serve one address, and what records exist for it, search for it.
Search for an address