Can I get a copy of my private sewer lateral inspection report and/or video?
Provide your email to your plumber so they can include it when submitting an Inspection Report of your private sewer lateral to the City. By doing so, you will receive automated emails about the status of the inspection and also have access to the Inspection Report, including its video.
If you did not provide your email to your plumber, please email waterquality@lagunabeachcity.net to request a copy of the Inspection Report.
Can property owners be fined or face other penalties for not maintaining a functional private sewer lateral?
If property owners do not comply with the Private Sewer Lateral Inspection Program, including properly inspecting and maintaining their private sewer laterals then enforcement actions may be taken. These actions include, but are not limited to, issuing administrative citations, filing a misdemeanor complaint, and disconnecting the property from the public sewer system (per LBMC §17.50.200). Additionally, if a sewage spill results from lack of compliance, then the city council may impose a fine of up to $10 per gallon of spilled sewage and up to $10,000 per day for closure of public property as a result of the spill.
Do I need a permit?
Permits are not needed to inspect your private sewer lateral. However, if repair, replacement, or other work is being performed on your private sewer lateral then you will likely need a permit. More information on permits, including applications, is found on the City’s Building & Permits webpage. Work performed without the required permits will result in applicable fee(s) being assessed.
Do my sewer fees cover the cost of repairs to my private sewer lateral?
No, sewer fees paid by residents and businesses are for the operation and maintenance of the public sewer system and treatment of sewage. Private sewer lateral maintenance is the property owner’s responsibility.
Does the City offer any financial assistance for private sewer lateral maintenance?
This City has a Private Sewer Lateral Incentive which is available to owners of residential properties with three or fewer units that are in the Laguna Beach Sewer District. Learn more about this incentive on the Private Sewer Laterals: Property Owner's Resources webpage.
How do I get my private sewer lateral inspected?
Contact a qualified plumber to perform an inspection of your private sewer lateral. The City maintains a list of pre-certified plumbers as a courtesy. These plumbers have participated in a City-hosted Plumber’s Workshop, which explains the City’s Private Sewer Lateral Inspection Program. The City does not warrant nor guarantee the work of any specific plumber or plumbing company. The City encourages property owners to do their own research on, and vetting of, plumbers before selecting one.
No matter which plumber you choose, they must submit an Inspection Report to the City’s online platform powered by Forward Lateral. The City encourages property owners to provide their emails to the plumber for inclusion on the Inspection Report so that property owners receive automated emails about their Inspection Report and the City’s assessment of it.
If the plumber plans to clear roots and debris from your private sewer lateral, please ask that they call the Plumber’s Hotline at (949) 464-6616 to coordinate with the City. This coordination will ensure that the roots and debris do not block and/or harm the public sewer system.
How long does a Certificate of Compliance last?
Certificates of Compliance have expiration dates, by which time a new inspection of your private sewer lateral should be completed and submitted to the City unless an inspection is triggered by one of the six circumstances described in the City’s Municipal Code (§17.50.052). The table below describes the duration of your Certificate of Compliance based on the work that was performed on your private sewer lateral.
Type of Work Done
Certificate Valid For
- None (inspection only)
Five (5) years from date of issuance
- Repair
- Partial replacement
- Partial relining
Seven (7) years from date of issuance
- Complete replacement
- Complete relining
Twenty (20) years from date of issuance
How much will private sewer lateral work cost me?
Prices can vary depending on the type of private sewer lateral work being done, the characteristics of your private sewer lateral, and other factors. The City encourages property owners to get quotes from at least three plumbers when seeking plumbing services.
How will the City let me know if I need to have my private sewer lateral inspected?
There are two main ways the City will inform you that you are required to have your private sewer lateral inspected. One way is during a permitting process, the City may require that your private sewer lateral be inspected. You may also receive a Notice of Participation at your property. This notice will likely be a door hanger that City crews leave at your property and a follow-up letter may be mailed to your property. Below is an example of a City door hanger:
I am not the property owner, but was contacted about a property’s private sewer lateral, what do I do?
A Notice of Participation door hanger is left at a property, and a follow-up letter may be sent to the property’s physical address. To avoid potential sewer backup onto the property, the City kindly requests that you contact the property owner as soon as possible to notify them that a private sewer lateral inspection is necessary for their property. If you receive a door hanger or letter, please forward it to the property owner before a spill occurs and/or penalties are assessed.
I haven’t had any issues with my drains or private sewer lateral, why did I receive a door hanger or a letter?
Per the City’s Municipal Code (LBMC §17.50.052), there are six (6) circumstances that trigger the requirement for property owners to have their private sewer laterals inspected:
A sewer spill from a private sewer lateral.
A remodel, meaning all construction projects including additions, alterations, or repairs that require a building permit, and that either involve:
a. A bathroom, kitchen, or laundry facility; or
b. Installing plumbing facilities that produce a material increase in sewage flow; or
c. Any work exceeding $100,000.
A change in the use of the house, building, or property:
a. From residential to business, commercial, or nonresidential; or
b. From nonresidential/nonrestaurant/nonindustrial to restaurant or industrial uses such as carwashes, cleaners and laundries; or
c. To nonresidential uses where the building or property has been vacant or unoccupied for more than three years.
Repair or replacement of any part of the private sewer lateral.
A significant repair or replacement of the main public sewer line to which the private sewer lateral is attached.
Where city inspection and/or investigation reveals that a property’s private sewer lateral needs maintenance and the City issues a written Notice of Participation for the Private Sewer Lateral Inspection Program, advising the property owner of this Program and the corrective measures that need to be taken.
If you received a Notice of Participation door hanger, then most likely you are required to have your private sewer lateral inspected due to circumstances 1, 5, or 6 from the above list. Typically, letters are sent if a property owner does not respond to the Notice of Participation door hanger.
My plumber uploaded an inspection report to the City’s online platform, now what happens?
If you, as the property owner, provided your email, you should receive automated emails regarding the Inspection Report and the Public Works and Utilities Department’s assessment of your private sewer lateral’s condition.
If the Public Works and Utilities Department passes your private sewer lateral’s inspection, then you will receive a Certificate of Compliance via email.
If the Public Works and Utilities Department finds that your private sewer lateral needs additional work, comments will be emailed to you and the plumber on what work is needed. If you own a residential property with three or fewer units that is in the Laguna Beach Sewer District you may be eligible to participate in the Private Sewer Lateral Incentive.
Once the needed work is completed on your private sewer lateral, your plumber will submit a new, post-work Inspection Report for the Public Works and Utilities Department’s review. Once your private sewer lateral passes the Department’s review, you will receive a Certificate of Compliance via email.
Inspection Reports, including their videos, will be added to properties’ Real Property Reports.
What is a private sewer lateral and who is responsible for its maintenance and care?
A private sewer lateral is the pipe that carries wastewater from your property’s sinks, bathtubs, washers, toilets, and showers to the City’s public sewer system. Property owners are responsible for the inspection and maintenance of their private sewer laterals, which means from their private property all the way to where the pipe connects to the public sewer system, including the point of connection (the wye).
What is the City doing to prevent sewer spills and blockages?
The City is rigorously evaluating and repairing the public sewer system through its CCTV inspection program. This program includes video inspecting the public sewer system, evaluating the condition of the sewer lines and pump stations, rehabilitating or replacing sewer infrastructure, and spot-repairing damaged portions of sewer infrastructure. In 2024, the City purchased a van equipped with CCTV equipment to ramp-up its inspection of the public sewer system and continue to proactively maintain it.
The City also has the Plumber’s Bounty Cash Incentive to promote coordination between plumbers and the City when roots are being clear from private sewer laterals. This incentive was developed, in part, because a major cause of sewage spills in the City is roots being cleared from private sewer laterals that then block the public sewer system. Plumbers call the City’s Plumber Hotline at (949) 464-6616 so that Public Works and Utilities Department staff can catch the roots to prevent them from blocking and damaging the public sewer system. More information is available on the Private Sewer Laterals: Plumbers' Resources webpage.
What is the City’s Private Sewer Lateral Inspection Program and what is its purpose?
In 2004, the City Council added Chapter 17.50 on private sewer laterals to the Laguna Beach Municipal Code to establish regulations for the inspection, maintenance, repair, and replacement of private sewer laterals within the City. This chapter created the City’s Private Sewer Lateral Inspection Program which aims to:
Increase public awareness of private sewer systems and the impact of sewer spills on public health;
Prevent blockages of the sewer system and accidental discharge of wastewater into the storm drain system or the Pacific Ocean;
Reduce sewage spills;
Provide the maximum beneficial use of the City’s sewer system;
Ensure regulations are equitably implemented throughout the City; and
Protect public health, safety, and the environment.
The City worked with regulatory agencies and the community to develop this program.
Who can inspect and work on my private sewer lateral?
The City only accepts private sewer lateral Inspection Reports from a qualified plumber. Under the City’s Municipal Code (§17.50.020), a qualified plumber is:
A company or plumber with a valid city business license and the appropriate licensure, as required by the state, to provide private sewer lateral services, including video inspection, cleaning, maintenance, repair and connection to the public sewer; or
A plumber who has satisfied the qualification requirements outlined in the city's Private Sewer Lateral Program Administrative Guide which adds to the first definition that the plumber has also attended one of the City’s Plumber’s Workshops in the last three (3) years.
Who is a qualified plumber?
Under the City’s Municipal Code (§17.50.020), a qualified plumber is:
A company or plumber with a valid city business license and the appropriate licensure, as required by the state, to provide private sewer lateral services, including video inspection, cleaning, maintenance, repair and connection to the public sewer; or
A plumber who has satisfied the qualification requirements outlined in the city's Private Sewer Lateral Program Administrative Guide which adds to the first definition that the plumber has also attended one of the City’s Plumber’s Workshops in the last three (3) years.
The City only accepts private sewer lateral Inspection Reports that are performed by a qualified plumber.
Who should I contact if a plumber is going to work on my private sewer lateral’s connection to the City’s sewer main?
Before work begins, please make sure the plumber has secured all required permits. If the work involves excavation in the public right of way, a Right-Of-Way permit from the Public Works and Utilities Department will be needed. Also, the Public Works and Utilities Department must inspect the work done in the public right-of-way and the private sewer lateral’s connection to the public sewer system before restoration of the public right-of-way.
Why is private sewer lateral inspection and maintenance important?
Proper maintenance of private sewer laterals is important in avoiding sewer spills, property damage, damage to the public sewer system, and costly repairs. A key component to ensure proper maintenance of your property’s private sewer lateral is having it periodically inspected by a qualified plumber.
In Laguna Beach, a major cause of sewage spills is roots from private sewer laterals that block sewer lines. Proper maintenance of a private sewer lateral prevents roots and grease from clogging your private sewer lateral and causing a sewage backup inside your property and/or a sewage spill. A sewage spill can cause damage to your property that is expensive to fix and may harm public health and the environment.
