The City is responsible for the public sewer which is usually located under the street but sometimes located under an alley or in an easement on private property. Maintenance of the sewer lateral, the sewer that carries wastewater from buildings to the public sewer is the responsibility of the property owner as described in the City’s Municipal Code. The sewer lateral consists of upper and lower laterals. The upper lateral extends from the building structure to the property line. The segment from the property line to the street sewer is called lower lateral. Property owners are responsible for proper maintenance and operation of upper and lower laterals.

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The City’s Municipal Code requires that the construction, maintenance, and repair of sewer laterals be the responsibility of the property owners. This includes that portion of the lateral, sometimes referred to as the lower lateral, located under the street or public right of way. Property owners are granted permission to connect to the public street sewer with the understanding they are responsible for their lateral sewer and its maintenance. The fact that part of the lateral sewer is located under a public street does not mean that it is of public benefit, nor should the maintenance and repair of the lateral be performed by City forces at the expense of the taxpayers.

In almost all cases, the owner of private property holds the underlying fee to the center of the street. The public street is an easement. The property owner has a legal right to construct and maintain a house connection sewer between private property and the public street sewer, subject to permit provisions of the Los Angeles Municipal Code.

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If the work is to be done entirely on your property, yes. A plumber with a C-36 contractor’s license and a Los Angeles City business license can do the work. A plumbing permit from the Department of Building and Safety maybe required. You may call (213) 473-3231 or the toll free number 311 to inquire about any Building and Safety permit requirements.

To do work in the public right-of-way, a contractor must be on the City’s approved list of bonded sewer contractors. To get on the list, a contractor must possess a valid contractor’s license issued by the Contractors License Board of the State of California in the classification of A-1 (General Engineering), B-1 (General Building), C-36 (Plumbing), or C-42 (Sewer, Sewage Disposal, Drain, Cement Pipe Laying), a Los Angeles City Business License with an insurance policy on file and post the appropriate cash/surety bond. The City’s current list of bonded sewer contractors is provided on the following web page.
http://engpermits.lacity.org/spermits

A permit from the Bureau of Engineering would be required to work in the public right-of-way. To obtain a permit, you may contact the appropriate Bureau office in the following table. (Any required permit is usually obtained by the contractor doing the work.)

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According to the Plumbing Code the following pipe(s) may be used cast iron, galvanized steel, galvanized wrought iron, lead, copper, brass, Schedule 40 ABS DWV, Schedule 40 PVC DWV, and extra strength vitrified clay. The ABS DWV and PVC DWV are plastic pipe with fused joints that may offer better root protection although it is still to early to tell how well they perform long term.

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Permits for work on your private property are issued by the City's Building and Safety Division at (888) 524-2845 Permits for work within public right of way are issued by the Bureau of Engineering, Central District A-Permits/Sewer Permits at (213) 482-7030.

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The following documents are available for download from the California Contractors State License Board:

1. W hat you should know Before Hiring A Contractor (Pamphlet).
2. What you should know Before Hiring A Contractor (Booklet).
3. 10 Tips to make sure your contractor measures up.

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Contact the Lateral Root Notification Program Coordinator at (323) 342-6221 or email sewer.root@lacity.org

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Call 311 to report a sewer spill or visit the City’s website.

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Call 311 to report a sewer odor or visit the City’s website.

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In Los Angeles, as in most other cities and municipalities, property owners are responsible for proper maintenance, repair, and replacement of private laterals. The City does not provide financial assistance to property owners for lateral repair or replacement. This is true even if the source of root infestation is partly or entirely trees planted on public right of way.

Trees and/or their roots at times conflict with other structures and private sewer laterals could be impacted. The responsibility for the construction, maintenance, and repair of house connection sewer laterals lies with the property owner. This rule is not altered by the fact (if it is a fact) that roots of trees growing in the street caused clogging of the sewer line. The privilege is granted to the property owner to connect his or her property with the main publicly owned street sewer, and the duty to keep clean the privately owned sewer rests upon the owner, not upon the City. Sewer laterals are not of general benefit since they serve and can be used legally to serve only a single lot. The fact that the house connection sewer is in a public street does not mean that it is of public benefit and that the maintenance and repair should be performed by City forces at the expense of the taxpayers.

Tree roots do not enter sewer lines unless there is a break that leaks moisture and provides an opening encouraging root penetration. Root invasion can generally be remedied by periodic rotary root removal. Extensive damage may require lateral repair or replacement.

The Department of Public Works’ Bureau of street Services’ Urban Forestry Division will assist property owners in acquiring the necessary permits when the sewer problem involves a street tree.

You may call toll free number 311 or the Bureau of Street Services' Service Request Section at (800) 996-2489 or (213) 847-3077 to inquire about tree removal.

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