Water where it shouldn't be
Pipes that might be old
A freeze is coming (AI picture)
After a flood
A smell you can't place
Who to call and what they need
Whose water, town by town
Every picture on the walkStop 5 of 5 on the walk
At the street: cleanout, tree roots and the sewer line
The strip between your house and the street holds your sewer line, its cleanout and the roots most likely to trouble it. In Columbia Water’s area the sewer line is yours up to the property line1.
Updated , Midlands House Walk
Very little here shows above the grass. A capped cleanout is usually the only sign of the sewer line, and a big tree may be the only hint of what is happening to it. Columbia Water asks that trees stay out of utility easements2, and the roots page says why.
Two stops are for bad days: sewage coming up a drain and a boil water message, where the difference between an advisory and a notice is spelled out3. Read them now, while the floors are dry.
The other two save you from expensive surprises. Who owns the sewer line tells you whose job a break is, and SC811 wants three business days before any digging4. Not sure which utility serves you? The name on your bill decides.
