The sewer lateral is the pipe that connects a home's plumbing system into the city's sanitary sewer main. The pipes carry sanitary sewage and/or industrial waste from a building to a public sewer.

Property owners are responsible for the maintenance, repair and replacement of their lateral. The city is responsible for the mainline sewer in the street.

When immediate action is necessary to preserve or protect the public health, safety, and/or the environment, the city may have to step in and take corrective action. The property owner may be responsible for costs incurred by the city.

The city code was amended July 24, 2007, to clarify that sewer laterals from the private property to the city’s sewer main are the responsibility of the property owner to maintain, repair and replace.

In the past, the city responded to a small number of calls for service that involved private sewer laterals. A state law adopted in 2006 requires cities to take a more active role in maintaining sewer lines or risk high fines and costs to bring the lines into compliance with stringent new state regulations. As part of the changes, the city needed to clarify roles and responsibilities for its sewage system.

Call a plumber to determine the problem. Look for "Plumbing Contractors" on the internet. You may also contact the State Contractors License Board at 800-321-2752 to find licensed contractors in and around Carlsbad.

A cleanout is an entry point into the sewer service that is used to clear the line of any obstruction. Generally, a cleanout can be located either inside or outside of a house/building. Cleanouts are sometimes inadvertently buried under landscaping and cement. When this happens, the cleanout will need to be re-exposed and made accessible.

In Carlsbad, about 50 percent of the 20 to 25 lateral line problems that the city hears about annually involve tree roots. The other 50 percent of problems are caused by people dumping grease or other substances down the drain.

To avoid costly repairs as well as health, safety and environmental hazards, sewer laterals should be cleaned regularly. How often you clean your lateral depends on the age of your house, the growth of tree and bush roots and the types of items that go down the drain.

A good rule of thumb is to have a plumber professionally clean the lateral once a year to remove built up debris. Inspections using a small camera should be conducted by a professional every three to five years to ensure pipe integrity.

Some signs that sewer laterals need repair or replacement include frequent clogged drains and an odor of sewage. Houses and businesses with mature trees and bushes may need to check and repair their laterals more often since roots may wrap around and damage the lateral.

The best way to assess the condition of a lateral is by having a plumber insert a small camera into the pipe to examine its interior.

The City of Carlsbad has a Lateral Assistance Program. Call the Carlsbad Utilities Department for more information at 760-438-2722.

You do not need a permit to perform lateral work on private property. However, if you are performing lateral work in the public right-of-way, you must obtain a Plumbing Permit from the city’s permit department, 760-602-8558.

Please call the Carlsbad Land Development Engineering division at 760-602-2740 for this information.

The distance of trees and shrubs varies, depending on the type of plant and the surrounding soil condition. Contact an arborist or landscaping specialist to determine the best planting distance.

Contact the city's risk management division at 760-602-2470 if you think a city street tree caused your line break. For additional regulation information, please refer to the city's Municipal Code.