In most New Jersey towns the homeowner pays for the sewer lateral, the pipe from the house to the sewer main, and the town pays for the main itself. Where the line falls in between varies: some towns make you responsible all the way to the main, including the part under the street, and a few take over from the curb or a cleanout. There is no statewide rule, so your town's ordinance decides.
Before you pay for a repair, find the paragraph in your town's code that names the lateral. It is usually in the sewer chapter of the municipal code, and many towns publish it online. Your public works or sewer department can also tell you in one call.
How towns split it
Three patterns show up in New Jersey codes and policies:
- Owner owns the whole lateral. Verona's wastewater page says the private property owner maintains the entire lateral, including the portion in the public right of way. Berlin Borough's lateral policy likewise requires owners to maintain and repair laterals from the main to the building.
- Split at the cleanout. Some codes have the town maintain the lateral from the main to a cleanout near the property line, with the owner handling the rest.
- Town owns the curb-to-main segment. Keyport's 2023 ordinance amendment says the property owner is not responsible for the lateral from the curb to the sanitary sewer main, which the borough owns and maintains.
In some towns the sewer system is not run by the town at all. A utility such as New Jersey American Water now operates several municipal systems, which is covered in four NJ towns where who owns the pipe just changed. If your sewer belongs to a utility, check its tariff or customer rules instead of a town ordinance.
What the homeowner typically pays for
- The pipe itself, from the foundation to wherever your town's responsibility begins.
- Excavation, bedding, backfill and restoring your lawn, driveway or patio.
- Camera inspection to find the failure and confirm the pipe's condition. See sewer camera inspection.
- Permits and inspection for the repair. See permits and inspections for water and sewer line work.
- The tie-in at the main, in towns that assign the tap to the owner.
What the town or sewer authority pays for
- The sewer main in the street, its manholes and its repair.
- A blockage or break in the main. If a neighbor's whole street backs up, it is almost always the main, and the town responds.
- In towns that own the curb-to-main section, that section.
If the repair means opening the street, expect a road opening permit and restoration to the town's standard, whoever owns the pipe. Our sewer lateral replacement page explains how that adds to the job.
Not sure it is the lateral?
A clog in the house drain is different from a failed lateral. If every drain is slow at once, or sewage is backing up, start with all drains slow at once and sewer line backup signs. If the house is a condo, the association may own the lateral: see condo lateral ownership.
What it costs
We publish our ranges and the factors that move them, such as depth, length, pipe material and whether the street has to be opened, on the sewer line replacement cost page and the cost overview. Our sewer lateral repair and replacement service covers spot repairs and full replacements across northern New Jersey, including Vernon, Hamburg and Newton.
Common questions
Who owns the sewer lateral in New Jersey? In most towns, the property owner owns the lateral from the house to the main. Some towns stop the owner's responsibility at the curb or a cleanout, and a few own the curb-to-main section. Your town ordinance decides.
Is the sewer lateral under the street my responsibility? Often yes. Verona and Berlin Borough, for example, make the owner responsible for the whole lateral including the part in the right of way. Keyport is a counterexample, where the borough owns the curb-to-main segment.
Does the town pay for a sewer backup caused by the main? The town is responsible for repairing a blockage or break in the main. Damage inside the house is a separate matter, usually between you and your insurer.
Do I need a permit to replace a sewer lateral? Usually yes, and a connection under the street adds a road opening permit. Ask your town's building or public works department before work starts.
How do I find out where my town's responsibility starts? Look up the sewer chapter of your municipal code, which many towns post online, or call public works. Ask where the lateral ends and whether there is a cleanout that marks the boundary.
What if my sewer is run by a utility instead of the town? Then the utility's tariff or customer rules apply. Check its website or call customer service.
Still not sure how this applies to your property? That is what a free on-site estimate is for. Call 862-268-2510 or tell us what is going on, and we will give you a straight answer, including when the answer is that you do not need us.
