Who pays for the sewer lateral in Sonora, CA
Which part of the pipe is yours
Yours from the cleanout to your building — if certain conditions are met
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.
Who to call first about the sewer lateral
Tuolumne Utilities District: official site(opens in a new tab)The documents this answer is built on
Who is responsible for which part
In Sonora, Tuolumne Utilities District splits the lateral at a property line cleanout if there is one, and otherwise leaves the whole lateral with the owner. Its ordinance says "The private lateral is owned and maintained by the property owner" and "The public lateral is owned and maintained by the District." - but "If no cleanout or manhole exists near the property line then the entire lateral from the points of service to the lateral connection at the public sewer main is considered a private lateral."
- Tuolumne Utilities District
- The public lateral, downstream of an accessible cleanout or manhole near the property line, to the main. "If the customer installs a District approved sewer cleanout or manhole at the property line adjacent to a public right-of-way, and the cleanout or manhole is accessible to the District's satisfaction, the District will maintain the portion of the lateral downstream of the cleanout or manhole in the public right-of-way."
- The property owner
- The private lateral, from the building to the cleanout - or to the main where there is no cleanout. "The customer shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair and good working order of the private sewer lateral."
What decides which applies
Sources
Tuolumne Utilities District, Wastewater Ordinance (adopted 1993What the rules say
These requirements are issued by Tuolumne Utilities District, not by Sonora.
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
Tuolumne Utilities District's Wastewater Ordinance, section 2.10, provides that "The District requires that a backflow prevention device be installed, operated, maintained and replaced at the sole expense of the parcel owner where wastewater from the public sewer may back up into the user's building sewer."
What to do: If sewage from the public sewer could back up into your building sewer, make sure an approved backflow prevention device is fitted and kept in working order.
Tuolumne Utilities District Wastewater Ordinance section 2.10Why this matters
The device protects the building from sewage backing up out of the public sewer; its cost and upkeep are the owner's.
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
- Sonora (municipality)
- Sewer service
How this compares to neighbouring cities
The nearest city draws 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 cleanout; your water line stops being yours at the meter.
Who owns the water service line in SonoraNearby cities and further reading
Look up a specific address
This page describes what applies to properties in Sonora in general. To see which authorities serve one address, and what records exist for it, search for it.
Search for an address