The service line and city main
The City of Tempe states that homeowners are responsible for the sewer line from their home to the city sewer main. This can include a blockage or break outside the walls of the house. See the city source below. Do not assume the property line is the dividing point.
How to locate a blockage
A sewer camera inspection can show a defect and its approximate location. Ask for the recording and location marks before agreeing to an excavation or pipe lining. If neighboring properties also back up, ask the city to check its main.
What to ask the contractor
Ask which part of the line is blocked, whether a cleanout is available, what the proposed work covers, and what evidence supports the proposed repair. Get the scope and price from the independent contractor; this site only makes referrals.
When buying a home
A pre-purchase sewer scope can help reveal line condition before closing. Ask who owns the line and whether prior inspections or repairs are documented.
Trace the path before assigning a bill
The private service line generally begins at a building's drains and runs toward the public sewer main. A cleanout gives access to inspect or clear it, but the cleanout's location alone does not tell you who owns every segment. Tempe's homeowner guidance identifies the line from the home to the city sewer main as the homeowner's responsibility. For condos or shared property, also read the governing documents and confirm the actual utility provider.
How to distinguish a property problem from a main problem
Several drains backing up in one house often point downstream of those fixtures, but they do not prove the public main is blocked. Ask whether a camera reached the main connection and whether the obstruction can be marked from above ground. If more than one property has sewage coming back at the same time, report that to the wastewater utility. Do not dig in a street or public easement based on a guess.
What a good repair proposal should show
- The location of the defect, including the inspected distance and any ground mark.
- The pipe material and visible condition, with video or still images where possible.
- Whether cleaning alone restored the line, and what makes a repair necessary.
- The limits of the inspection: an inaccessible or submerged run cannot be described as fully inspected.
Ask for a written scope before authorizing excavation or lining. A camera can identify visible trouble but cannot by itself confirm permit needs, exact underground routing or the condition of unseen sections. Check these with the utility and the contractor.
Sources and scope
Source: City of Tempe service-line responsibility. This guide is general information, not an on-site diagnosis. Tempe Sewer Cleaning connects callers with independent contractors; confirm the findings, work, price and licensing with the contractor.