Who maintains the sewer line in Folsom?
Folsom’s sewer code splits every connection in two: the owner maintains the upper lateral, and the City maintains the lower lateral and its main. Here’s where the split falls.
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Where the split falls
Follow the sewage from the house to the main. Green is the owner’s responsibility and blue is the City’s.
- 1Building drainPipes inside and under the house. Owner.
- 2Upper lateralHouse to the cleanout near the property line. The owner clears stoppages, inspects, maintains and repairs it.
- 3CleanoutUsually where responsibility splits. With no cleanout, the split is within 5 feet of the property line or easement.
- 4Lower lateralCleanout to the main. The City maintains it when the City owns the main.
- 5Sewer mainIn the street or a public easement. City-maintained unless privately owned.
The upper lateral is yours
Folsom Municipal Code 13.08.140 gives the property owner sole responsibility for clearing stoppages and for inspecting, maintaining and repairing the upper lateral, including any backflow prevention device on it. The code spells out what that means:
- Keep it free of roots, grease deposits and other solids.
- Keep joints tight and pipe sound, with no cracks, breaks or missing pieces that let sewage out or groundwater in.
- Don’t connect drains that collect stormwater or surface water to it.
- Keep cleanouts securely sealed with a proper cap.
A separate section, 13.08.160, restates the duty. Owners must inspect, maintain, repair and replace the private lateral at their own expense so it doesn’t cause or contribute to a sewage spill.
The City’s part
When the City owns the main, it is responsible for clearing stoppages and for inspecting, maintaining and repairing the lower lateral, City cleanouts, manholes and the main. If the City doesn’t own the main, it has none of those responsibilities for that line.
Private mains
Some parcels are served by a private sewer: a private main, or several laterals and manholes on one property. The owner is responsible for the whole private system, typically up to the City’s cleanout or the edge of the public right-of-way or easement. The City takes on part of a private system only where it has accepted that in writing.
Easements
Where City sewer facilities run through a private lot in an easement, nothing permanent may be built over them: no garages, patios, slabs, sheds, fences, retaining walls or trees. The City expects a clear access path at least 15 feet wide and 6 feet 8 inches high (13.08.150).
Cleanouts and backflow devices
Cleanouts. New construction and every new connection in Folsom must have a cleanout at the property line: a wye fitting with a waterproof cap (13.08.080). It’s where a plumber gets into your line, and usually where your responsibility ends.
Backflow prevention devices. These stop sewage flowing back into the house from the lateral. Folsom requires one on new construction and new connections where the lowest plumbing fixture is 12 inches or less above the rim of the nearest upstream manhole. Existing properties can be required to add one when applying for a construction, remodel or sewer replacement permit, or when the Utilities Director decides it’s needed for public health or safety (13.08.090). Removing a required device, or failing to maintain it, is prohibited.
What not to send down the drain
Section 13.08.120 lists what can’t be discharged to the City’s sewer. The items most relevant to a home are:
- Fats, oils and grease that leave a sheen, build up anywhere in the system, or obstruct it
- Debris and rags, which in practice includes wipes
- Food waste larger than a quarter inch
- Cementitious materials such as grout, mortar or concrete washout
- Pool water, roof runoff, groundwater or stormwater
- Liquids hotter than 150°F, and chemicals not meant for the sewer
City inspection notices
If the City believes a private lateral is defective or could cause a blockage, it can send the owner a written notice requiring an inspection by a licensed plumber. That inspection includes a camera (CCTV) inspection and a report of defects, corrective actions, and estimated time and cost (13.08.160). The notice sets the deadlines. What the report has to include.
Permits
Repair work needs the right permits before it starts. Folsom’s Building Division issues permits through the City’s eTRAKiT portal. Its Minor Permit list includes minor plumbing work, depending on scope, but doesn’t list lateral replacement specifically, so confirm with the Building Division at 50 Natoma Street. Any work in a public street, right-of-way or easement, or any connection to City facilities, needs an encroachment permit, also through eTRAKiT.
Lateral questions
Who is responsible for the sewer line between my house and the street in Folsom?
The property owner is responsible for the upper lateral, from the house to the cleanout near the property line. That includes clearing stoppages, inspecting, maintaining and repairing it. The City is responsible for the lower lateral (cleanout to main), City cleanouts, manholes and the main when the City owns the main (Municipal Code 13.08.140).
What if my house doesn’t have a cleanout near the property line?
The code says the dividing point is then at most five feet from the property line or easement, as shown on the City’s Standard Detail SS-08. New construction and new connections must have a cleanout at the property line (13.08.080).
I live in a condo or townhome. Does this apply?
Some developments are served by a private sewer system. Where a private main serves several parcels, the owner, often the HOA, is responsible for the whole private system up to the City’s cleanout or the limits of the public right-of-way or easement (13.08.140 B). Check with your HOA before calling about a shared line.
Do I need a permit to repair or replace my sewer lateral?
Confirm with the City before work starts. The Building Division’s Minor Permit list covers “minor plumbing work” depending on scope, but doesn’t list lateral replacement specifically. Any work in a public street, right-of-way or easement requires an encroachment permit. Both are applied for through the City’s eTRAKiT portal.
Last verified: . City rules change; check the official source before relying on a detail.
This page summarizes the City’s code for homeowners. It isn’t legal advice, and the code is the authority.
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Homes and properties in the City of Folsom, CA (ZIP 95630).