Selling, remodeling, or changing your water meter? We camera-inspect your private sewer lateral, make the repairs, and get you through the East Bay Regional Private Sewer Lateral process.
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The pipe that carries waste from your house to the public sewer main is called a private sewer lateral, and in most of the East Bay it is the property owner’s responsibility - not the city’s. Under the East Bay Regional Private Sewer Lateral program, properties in Oakland, Emeryville, Piedmont, El Cerrito, Kensington, and the Richmond Annex may need a compliance certificate when the property is sold, when a major remodel is done, or when the water meter size changes. Berkeley runs its own separate program with its own rules.
The reason the program exists is groundwater. Cracked and root-damaged laterals let rainwater into the sewer system, which overloads treatment plants during storms. That is also why the certificate is tied to moments when a pipe can practically be inspected and fixed - a sale or a remodel - rather than being demanded at random.
In practice the process is straightforward. We run a camera the full length of your lateral and record it. If the pipe passes, that footage supports your certificate. If it does not, you see exactly what the problem is on screen, and we give you a written flat-rate price for the repair - which may be a spot repair rather than a full replacement. We then help you prepare for the verification test so the certificate can be issued.
Sewer Lateral Camera Inspection
Compliance Certificate Support
Spot Repairs
Full Lateral Replacement
Trenchless Options
Cleanout Installation
Root Removal
Pre-Sale Inspections
Sewer lateral compliance is one of the most common late surprises in an East Bay home sale, and it is expensive precisely when it is discovered late. A failed lateral found during escrow becomes a negotiating point, a delay, or a credit - often for more than the repair would have cost if it had been handled in advance.
Getting the lateral inspected before listing puts you in a much stronger position. Either it passes and you have documentation to hand buyers, or it fails and you fix it on your own timeline at a price you chose. We work with homeowners and with real estate agents throughout Oakland, El Cerrito, Richmond, and Berkeley, and we can usually schedule an inspection within a few days. For current program requirements, check with EBMUD at eastbaypsl.com.
Appointment Fee
Service Available
Warranty
If your property is in Oakland, Emeryville, Piedmont, El Cerrito, Kensington, or the Richmond Annex, very likely yes. Berkeley has its own program. We can inspect your lateral and tell you where you stand before you list.
Certificates issued under the regional program are time-limited rather than permanent, and the term can change, so confirm the current period with EBMUD at eastbaypsl.com before relying on an older certificate.
You see the footage and we explain exactly what failed and where. Many laterals need a spot repair at one bad section rather than a full replacement, and we quote both options in writing so you can choose.
Often, yes. Trenchless methods can replace a lateral with far less excavation when the pipe path and condition allow it. We confirm from the camera footage whether your property is a candidate.
Don’t see your city? We cover most of Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties - call (925) 580-2119 or see every area we serve.
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