Frequently asked questions
The questions people actually type about sewer and water lines, septic, drainage, permits and cost in New Jersey, answered in a sentence or two. Each one links to the page that answers it in full, with the rule or the number behind it.
In most of New Jersey the homeowner owns the water service line from the curb stop to the house and the sewer lateral to the main, while the utility owns the main in the street. Water lines go in with at least 42 inches of cover. A typical water service replacement takes one to two days, a sewer lateral two to three. Anyone digging, homeowners included, has to call 811 three business days ahead. JWSR LLC answers 24/7 on 862-268-2510 and gives free on-site estimates.
Something is wrong right now
What to do in the first hour, and whose problem it is.
What do I do if sewage is backing up into my basement?
Stop using water everywhere in the house first: no flushing, showers, laundry or dishwasher. Keep people and pets out of it, cut power to the area from a dry spot if water is near outlets or equipment, and photograph it before cleaning. If neighbors are backing up too, it is the main and the town's to fix.
Sewer backup: clog or broken pipe →What do I do if my water line is frozen?
Check whether the neighbors have water, then call your water utility either way, because the main, the curb stop and usually the meter are theirs to check. Open one cold tap slightly, know where your main shutoff is in case it leaks when it thaws, and never put a flame near a pipe.
Frozen water line →What if there is no water in the house, or water coming up in the yard?
It usually points at the service line from the street to the house. Ask a neighbor first: if they are out too, it is the main. If it is only you, shut every fixture off and watch the meter; if it still moves, water is leaking downstream of it.
No water, or water in the yard →What do I do if I hit a utility line while digging?
Stop the machine and leave it where it is. Gas and electric are a 911 call first; water and sewer are a call to the system that owns the line; fiber is expensive rather than dangerous. Photograph the marks, the depth and the damage before anything is moved or backfilled.
The first ten minutes after a strike →Why is my sump pump running constantly but the pit stays full?
Usually a blocked or frozen discharge line: the water hits ice or a plug and drains straight back into the pit. Check the outside end of the line before replacing anything, because a pump running against a closed pipe will burn out.
Sump pump discharge lines →Why does my house smell like sewer?
Most often a dry trap: a drain nobody uses loses its water seal in a few weeks. Pour water down every unused drain, including basement floor drains, and wait a day. If the smell comes back with gurgling or slow drains, the problem is further out in the line.
Sewer smell: inside or out →Do you answer at night and on weekends?
Yes. We answer 24/7 for sewer, water, fiber and utility strikes, drainage and storm damage, and aim for same-day response across our service area.
24/7 emergency service →Who is responsible, and who pays
The line between your pipe and the utility's is where most of the money is.
Who is responsible for the water line from the street to my house in NJ?
You are, in almost every case. The utility owns the main in the street and usually the curb stop; from the curb to the house the service line is the property owner's. Where exactly the boundary falls is set by your water system's tariff, so confirm it with them.
Water service line replacement →Who is responsible for a water main break in New Jersey?
The water system. The main in the street and the curb stop belong to your water purveyor, and repairing a break in the main is their work and their cost.
Water main breaks and boil notices →Who owns the sewer line from my house to the street?
In most New Jersey towns the property owner owns the lateral, often all the way to the main including the part under the road, but there is no statewide rule and some towns start your responsibility at the curb or a cleanout. Check your town's ordinance before work starts.
All drains slow at once →Does homeowners insurance cover a sewer backup in NJ?
Often not under a standard policy. Sewer and drain backup is usually an add-on endorsement, so check your declarations page and document the damage with photos before anything is cleaned up.
Sewer backup →Who pays if a sewer scope fails during a home sale?
Whoever the parties agree pays; there is no rule assigning it. It is usually settled as a repair, a credit or a price reduction, and a firm written number from a contractor is what moves that conversation.
Failed sewer scope →Can I sell a house in NJ that is on a cesspool?
Not while it stays a cesspool: New Jersey requires a cesspool to be replaced at the time of a property transfer. An older septic system that simply does not meet today's standards is not a cesspool and is not required to be upgraded on that basis alone.
Can I…? NJ rules →Permits, 811 and what you may do yourself
Short answers. Your town, county and health department have the final say for your address.
Do I need a permit to clear land in New Jersey?
Usually, once you disturb more than 5,000 square feet, about an eighth of an acre: that needs a soil erosion and sediment control plan certified by your county Soil Conservation District. Owning the land does not exempt you; agricultural clearing is treated differently.
Land clearing permits in NJ →Do I need a permit for a French drain in NJ?
Usually not from the state for a standalone yard drain, which disturbs far less than 5,000 square feet. Your town may want a zoning or grading permit, and a drain tied into piping at the house needs a construction permit.
French drain permits →Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in NJ?
Yes at four feet or more of total height, measured from the bottom of the footing, and also for a shorter wall that holds up a driveway, a structure or a slope.
Can I build it myself? →Do I need a permit for a driveway culvert or a new gravel driveway?
Usually for a culvert, from whoever owns the road your driveway meets: the town, the county or NJDOT. A gravel driveway can need a soil erosion plan if it disturbs more than 5,000 square feet, which a long rural drive often does.
Driveway drainage and culverts →Do I need a permit to fill in a pool in NJ?
It varies by town, so call your construction office before anything starts. Some treat it as a demolition, some want the electrical disconnect inspected, and some want nothing.
Pool removal and fill-in →Do I need a permit to install or replace a septic system?
Yes, from your local health department. The process starts with soil testing and an engineered design, which the health department approves before anything is built.
Septic installation →Can I dig on my own property without calling 811?
Usually not. New Jersey counts a homeowner digging on their own property as an excavator, and fence posts, tree and root removal and trenching all count. The call is free and routine tickets take three business days. We do not start any job without an 811 ticket.
What the markout colors mean →How long is an 811 markout good for in NJ?
Forty-five business days from the notification, roughly nine weeks, and only if the marks are maintained. After that you need a fresh ticket.
NJ utility damage law →Can I connect a French drain or sump pump to the sanitary sewer?
No. New Jersey requires groundwater and roof water to be kept out of sanitary sewers. A drain or sump line needs its own outlet: daylight, a dry well, or a permitted storm connection.
Where a sump pump may discharge →Can a contractor who is not a licensed plumber replace my water service?
Not the plumbing part. The homeowner exception applies only to a homeowner on their own home; for anyone else the connection is licensed plumbing work, so a proper job has an excavation crew and a licensed plumber.
Can I…? NJ rules →Is a septic inspection required when you sell a house in NJ?
Ask your local health department, because septic rules are administered locally and requirements at a sale are set at that level. It is a free phone call.
Septic inspections →How deep, and how long
Depth decides whether a line freezes. Time is mostly markouts and inspections.
How deep are water lines buried in New Jersey?
Below the frost line with at least 42 inches of earth cover over the pipe, under New Jersey's plumbing subcode. Lines that freeze are usually ones that were never put that deep.
How deep water lines are buried →How deep is a sewer line in NJ?
The code minimum is shallower than a water line's, but in practice sewer depth is set by the depth of the main it has to reach, which is usually well below the minimum.
How deep a sewer line should be →How long does a water service line replacement take?
One to two days for a typical 100 to 200 foot residential service, and the water is usually off for hours, not days, because the outage is only the tie-in at the end.
How long jobs take →How long does a sewer lateral replacement take?
Two to three days for a full lateral. Depth matters more than length, and a main in the street adds a road opening permit and pavement restoration.
How long jobs take →How long does a septic system installation take?
One to two weeks from start to final grade. The digging is days; the health department's staged inspections set the rest of the calendar.
How long jobs take →How long does 811 take in New Jersey?
Plan on three full business days for a routine ticket. The notice has to go in at least 3 and no more than 10 business days before digging, under N.J.S.A. 48:2-82(a). Emergencies are different: operators must respond within two hours.
Telecom construction costs and timing →Can you replace a water or sewer line in winter?
Yes. Frozen ground slows the dig and we thaw the work area with ground heaters, but the pipe goes in and the water comes back on. Grading and seed wait for spring.
Water line replacement in winter →Can you bore under my driveway instead of tearing it up?
Usually, and it is the main reason to bore. It is not guaranteed: rock can push a bore off line, and an existing utility in the path forces an open cut.
Directional boring →What it costs
Our own ranges, not a market survey. The cost page explains what moves each one.
How much does it cost to replace a water line from the street to the house in NJ?
With us, $8,000 to $10,000 for a 200 foot service, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →How much does a sewer camera inspection cost in NJ?
With us, $200 to $800, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →How much does it cost to repair a sewer line in NJ?
With us, $3,000 to $8,000, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey. That is a spot repair; a full sewer line runs more.
What moves the price →How much does it cost to replace a sewer line in NJ?
With us, $10,000 to $20,000, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey. Depth and the length of the run move it most.
What moves the price →How much does a septic system cost in NJ?
With us, $30,000 to $75,000, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →How much does it cost to convert from septic to sewer in NJ?
With us, $15,000 to $35,000, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →How much does it cost to clear an acre of land in NJ?
With us, $4,000 to $30,000 per acre, typically around $16,000 per acre, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →How much does directional boring cost per foot?
With us, $25 to $100 per foot, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →How much does it cost to pave a driveway in NJ?
With us, $5,000 to $12,000, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →How much does it cost to fill in a swimming pool in NJ?
With us, around $8,000 for a typical pool, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →How much does stump removal cost?
With us, $300 per stump, with an $800 minimum to come to the site, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey. We pull stumps with an excavator; we do not grind them.
What moves the price →How much does a retaining wall cost in NJ?
With us, $3,000 to over $100,000, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →How much does a catch basin cost in NJ?
With us, $6,000 to $8,000, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →How much does it cost to run electric to a detached garage?
With us, $10,000 to $15,000, as of August 2026 in northern New Jersey.
What moves the price →About working with us
The questions people ask before they call.
Do you charge for estimates?
No. On-site estimates are free. The one exception is design work such as drawings or a site plan, and that fee comes off the total if you hire us.
Book a free estimate →Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. JWSR LLC is fully licensed and insured, licensed in New Jersey and New York, and certificates of insurance are available on request.
Credentials →What areas do you serve?
Seven New Jersey counties from our base in Hamburg: Sussex, Warren, Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset, Passaic and Bergen.
Service areas, town by town →What work don't you do?
We do not clear clogs, replace sump pumps, do septic inspections, install interior French drains, grind stumps, blast rock or repair gas and energized electric lines. Rock on our jobs is hammered or dug out. We will tell you who does the rest, and we take the digging when the pipe itself has failed.
Everything we do →Do I need a plumber or an excavator to replace my sewer or water line?
Both. The digging is excavation work and the connection is licensed plumbing work, and on our jobs both show up.
Sewer and water line replacement →How do I know if I have septic or sewer?
Check your bill: a sewer or wastewater charge means public sewer. Otherwise look for a tank lid in the yard, usually eight to fifteen feet from the house, and ask your town's health department, which has any septic permit on file.
Septic or sewer: how to tell →General information, last reviewed 2026-09-28, not a ruling on your property. Your town, your county Soil Conservation District and your local health department have the final say for your address. More answers: what you may do yourself, what the work costs, how long jobs take and every NJ permit threshold.
Your question not here?
Call 862-268-2510, day or night. We will give you a straight answer, including when the answer is that you do not need us.
Call 862-268-2510