Who pays for the sewer lateral in Mercer Island, WA
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 Mercer Island
- What it covers:
- any construction of a side sewer or any modification of an existing side sewer
Mercer Island City Code section 15.06.040(A) provides that "Applicant must obtain all necessary and required permit approvals prior to commencing any construction of a side sewer or any modification of any existing side sewer."
Who to call first about the sewer lateral
Mercer Island: official site(opens in a new tab)The documents this answer is built on
Who is responsible for which part
On Mercer Island the property owner owns and maintains the side sewer up to the fitting on the City's main. Section 15.06.050(B) of the Mercer Island City Code provides that "Property owners shall be responsible for the development, maintenance, and repairs of side sewers and their appurtenances", and that this "includes the pipe system up to, but not including, manufactured tees/wyes, or mechanical connections to the public main."
- The property owner
- The side sewer, "a private pipe and related appurtenances extending from the sewer main to the connection with a building", whether in a public or private place, up to but not including the tee, wye or mechanical connection at the main. Section 15.06.100 provides that "Owners of private sewer systems, side sewers, and backwater valves are solely responsible for maintenance and operation of such."
What else is worth knowing
Sources
Mercer Island City Code section 15.06.050, Ownership (Ord. 14C-03, 2014)What 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 Mercer Island
- What it covers:
- any construction of a side sewer or any modification of an existing side sewer
Mercer Island City Code section 15.06.040(A) provides that "Applicant must obtain all necessary and required permit approvals prior to commencing any construction of a side sewer or any modification of any existing side sewer."
What to do: Before building or modifying a side sewer, get the required permit approvals from the City of Mercer Island; work in a right-of-way or public sewer easement must be done by a licensed side sewer contractor.
Mercer Island City Code section 15.06.040, Permits (Ord. 14C-03, 2014)Why this matters
The owner maintains and repairs the whole side sewer up to the fitting at the main, so work on it is the owner's, and it needs the City's permits first.
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
- Mercer Island (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
4 of the 8 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 Mercer Island in general. To see which authorities serve one address, and what records exist for it, search for it.
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