What does Detroit say about the private sewer line?
That it is the owner's, up to the city sewer. The line runs from where it leaves the house, beneath the basement or crawl space, to the city sewer connection, which may sit in the alley past the property line.
If it fails between the house and the connection, the owner arranges the repair and a city permit. For a clog, sewer line jetting is one route to talk through with a pro, and a camera inspection helps document the visible state of the line. Phone to get information and book a visit.
What is the Alley Sewer Repair Program?
A major city effort to reinstate private sewer connections and upgrade old sewers, aimed at reducing basement backups and alley cave-ins. The city's announcement describes thousands of private residential connections to be fixed over several years.
It targets failed connections in alleys, which is a different layer from a clogged lateral. Ask the city whether your block is in the program, and keep a camera recording of your line either way.
Who maintains which part of the line in Detroit?
Detroit's handbook and web pages split the system as shown here.
| Piece of the system | Responsible party | Practical meaning for a backup |
|---|---|---|
| City sewer and collection system | DWSD | Report a suspected main problem to DWSD |
| Private service line from the house to the city connection | Property owner | The owner arranges repairs and the city permit |
| Alley connection under the Alley Sewer Repair Program | City program, where eligible | It targets failed private connections in alleys |
What did the Basement Backup Protection Program offer?
A camera inspection of the lateral and repair of a defective lateral where needed, plus backup protection devices. The city says applications for early phases are closed and may reopen if more funding arrives.
Check current status on the city's page before planning around it. A camera recording of your lateral is useful whichever way the program goes.
Which Detroit properties book jetting?
Corktown, Midtown and Eastern Market restaurants, plus old two-families and flats across the neighborhoods.
Commercial grease line jetting clears kitchen lines, drain jetting handles branch lines in flats, and tree root removal clears roots from older clay.
Hydro jetting services in Detroit
All seven services are available across Detroit, for bungalows, two-families, flats and restaurants.
- Sewer line jetting along the private line from cleanout toward the alley
- Sewer camera inspection for early-1900s clay and cast iron lines
- Tree root removal when tree roots have reached a joint
- Drain jetting for slow kitchen and bath drains in flats
- Commercial grease line jetting for Corktown, Midtown and Eastern Market kitchens
- Sewer backup help for flooded basement drains
- Storm drain jetting for lots, alleys and area drains
Neighborhoods and nearby cities
Calls come from across Detroit, including Corktown, Midtown, Indian Village, the East Side, Brightmoor, Southwest, Boston-Edison and Eastern Market.
See the Michigan page for the state overview. Help is also available in Dearborn, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Warren, Southfield, Royal Oak and Livonia.