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Sewer Laterals

What is a Sewer Lateral?

A sewer lateral is the privately owned pipe that connects your home or building to the public sewer main in the street.

As the property owner, you're responsible for maintaining and repairing this section of pipe to keep things flowing properly.
Learn more in the District’s Ordinance No. 54 and Standard Specifications.

Why Lateral Maintenance Matters

Taking care of your lateral isn’t just about avoiding clogs — it’s about protecting your home, your neighbors, and the environment.

Cracks or breaks in private laterals can:

  • Cause sewer backups into homes or yards

  • Lead to overflows onto streets or into the Bay

  • Allow stormwater to enter the sewer system during heavy rains, which overwhelms pipes and treatment plants

These problems can result in serious damage to property, public health concerns, and pollution of local waterways.

Did You Know?

There are as many miles of private laterals as there are public sewer lines in most Marin communities. That means private maintenance is just as important as public system upgrades when it comes to preventing sewer spills.

The Big Picture: Clean Water & Healthy Communities

Maintaining your lateral helps:

  • Prevent leaks, spills, and property damage

  • Reduce treatment costs over time

  • Keep streets, homes, and the Bay cleaner

  • Protect local ecosystems

  • Improve property values

Together, we can create a more resilient, efficient sewer system — and a healthier community for everyone.

Sewer Lateral FAQ's

Why is it important to properly maintain a sewer lateral?

As private laterals age, just as sewer mains do, they can develop leaks, become clogged by fats, oils and grease, and become cracked by roots. This situation leads to sewage spills and overflows, threatening public health and the environment. Defective sewer laterals affect us all.

Who is responsible for sewer laterals?

Property owners are responsible for maintaining the entire length of the sewer lateral, including the portion that runs under the street.

Are improperly maintained sewer laterals a more severe problem during winter rains?

Yes. During wet weather, stormwater enters through cracks and breaks, allowing massive amounts of stormwater to enter the public sewer system, causing additional spills and overloading the wastewater treatment process. The result increases the threat to public health, requires costly upgrades to the public system, and has, at times, contaminated San Francisco Bay and its tributaries

How can I avoid having sewer lateral problems?

The simple answer is not to put anything down the drain or in the toilet that could cause problems. This includes: fats, oils and grease, medications, wipes and hazardous liquids. Fats, oils and grease clog sewer lines, and medications and hazardous liquids pose challenges for the sewage treatment process. Also, never connect any storm drain to a sewer lateral. This would greatly increase the flow in the sewer system during wet weather and could lead to spills, overflows and other problems.

What is a sewer lateral?

A sewer lateral, or side-sewer, is a privately-owned sewer pipeline connecting private property, such as a home or business, to the publicly-owned main sewer line, typically located in the middle of the street. It is the responsibility of the property owner to maintain and repair the lateral.

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