When sewage comes up through a drain in Pinole, the first question is where the blockage is. The answer decides who has to fix it, and in Pinole the city ordinance puts the private sewer lateral in the property owner's hands.
Key takeaways
- Pinole's Private Sewer Lateral Ordinance was adopted on November 20, 2012.
- The property owner is responsible for inspecting, maintaining and repairing the whole private lateral, up to the wye connection to the public main.
- A sewage backup is contaminated water, so porous materials are removed and surfaces treated.
- Cracked old laterals let wet weather flow into the sewer, which a 2008 Sewer Master Plan Study documented.
- City sewer overflows from a street manhole are reported to Public Works during the workday or to the Pinole Police non emergency number afterward.
What the Pinole ordinance says about the lateral
The lateral is the private pipe that carries wastewater from the house to the public main. In Pinole it ends at the wye connection, and the property owner is responsible for inspecting, maintaining and repairing everything up to that point.
The City of Pinole adopted the Private Sewer Lateral Ordinance, municipal code chapter 13.20, on November 20, 2012. A contractor hired by the owner must do the inspection.
A lateral counts as defective if it has root intrusion, displaced joints, leaks, or a missing or damaged cleanout or backflow prevention device.
Because the duty covers the whole lateral, a stoppage that starts in the yard is still the owner's to resolve even when the symptoms show up inside the house.
When an inspection is required
The ordinance asks for a sewer lateral cleaning and inspection in several situations. Owners tend to meet it first at a home sale, which is why it comes up in real estate talks.
If a buyer takes on required lateral repairs, they must be finished within 90 days of close of escrow.
- Before the close of escrow on a sale
- When a lateral is repaired or replaced
- With a change of use
- With a major increase in flow
Why a lateral fails
Pinole is mostly residential, and about 88.6 percent of its housing units were built before 1990. About 52.6 percent were built before 1970.
Older homes mean older pipes, and cracked laterals can let roots in and rain seep out of the ground and into the sewer. The city's 2008 Sewer Master Plan Study found a large inflow and infiltration problem from old cracked private laterals and public mains.
The city also treats sump pumps, downspouts and yard drains that connect to the public sewer as unlawful, because they push rain into a system that was not built to carry it.
Roots follow moisture, so a small crack at a joint can become a blockage within a few seasons. That is why the ordinance treats root intrusion as a defect on its own.
Why the wet season raises the risk
The rainy season in the Bay Area runs from October to April, and more than 90 percent of annual runoff in the region falls in those months. When the ground is saturated, rain finds its way into any crack in an old pipe.
That extra water leaves the system with less room to carry household waste. A lateral that works all summer can back up during a storm.
The city asks that only clean water enter storm inlets, because storm drains run untreated to the bay. The sanitary sewer is a separate system, and the Pinole-Hercules Water Pollution Control Plant at the foot of Tennent Avenue treats most of Pinole's wastewater.
The city completed a full scale upgrade of that plant in 2019, at a cost of about $45 million.
- Rain entering cracked laterals adds to the flow in the public sewer.
- Roots grow into joints that are already loose.
- A missing cleanout cap can let surface water and debris in.
What a sewage backup in the house looks like
A backup shows up as slow drains, gurgling, or water rising in a tub, floor drain or toilet. Sewage can spread across a floor quickly and soak carpet, pad and the base of walls.
This water is contaminated, so people and pets stay out until it is contained. Nothing about it is safe to mop, wipe or treat with household cleaner.
Repeated backups in the same fixture often point to the lateral rather than a clogged drain inside the house.
- Stop using sinks, tubs, toilets and the washing machine.
- Keep children and pets out of the affected rooms.
- Close doors to limit the spread.
- Photograph the area before cleanup starts.
How the cleanup is done
A restoration crew contains the area, extracts the liquid and removes porous materials that absorbed it. Carpet, pad, insulation and the bottom of drywall are typical removals.
Hard surfaces are cleaned and treated, then dried. The crew uses air movers and dehumidifiers, with readings taken until the structure is dry.
The full process is described on the sewage backup cleanup service page for Pinole, and standing water from a related cause can fall under water extraction.
Odor control follows the physical cleanup. The crew checks the air, treats surfaces and keeps drying until readings are normal, so the house is not left smelling of sewage or holding damp in the walls.
Who to call about a city sewer overflow
A manhole overflowing on the street is a city issue. The city says to call Public Works between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM, or the Pinole Police non emergency number outside those times.
Sewage inside the house is a separate problem. Water or sewage on the property side is the owner's to address, and the Pinole service page lists the other water jobs handled in the city.
Pinole has about 6,860 households, so a public main that backs up can affect several homes on one street.
Questions
Who is responsible for a clogged sewer lateral in Pinole?
The property owner. The ordinance makes the owner responsible for the entire private lateral, up to the wye connection with the public main.
Does a sewage backup always come from the private lateral?
Not always. A blockage can sit in the public main as well, so a manhole overflow on the street should be reported to Public Works or the police non emergency number.
Is the inspection only needed when selling a home?
No. It is also required when a lateral is repaired or replaced, with a change of use and with a major increase in flow.
Can a sump pump drain into the sewer?
No. The city ordinance says sump pumps, downspouts and yard drains connected to the public sewer are unlawful.
Why does a backup need special cleanup?
Sewage is contaminated, so porous materials that soaked it up are removed and hard surfaces are treated before drying begins.
Does a missing cleanout cap matter?
Yes. The ordinance lists a missing or damaged cleanout or backflow prevention device as part of a defective lateral.