What does the City of Reno say about laterals and roots?
That the lateral is private and roots can be managed with routine cleaning. The city's FAQ says it maintains only city mains and the pipe from the home to the main is the owner's, and it advises repairing a lateral with root intrusion or putting it on a regular maintenance cleaning schedule.
Services that fit that advice include sewer line jetting for scheduled cleaning and tree root removal for roots that have grown in, and a camera inspection can show visible roots in the line. Call and book your service.
How does the city handle a Reno backup?
It checks its own main first. The FAQ says a crew will check whether the backup is in the city main and clear the blockage if it is, and it says crews respond day and night.
If the crew finds the main clear, the blockage is in your lateral, and the city suggests hiring a professional sewer company. Hand them what you know: which fixtures are slow, which floor is affected, and whether the city crew found the main clear. A camera recording of the lateral documents the visible conditions.
Who maintains which part of the line in Reno?
Reno's FAQ and design manual split public and private sewer as shown here.
| Piece of the system | Responsible party | Practical meaning for a backup |
|---|---|---|
| City sewer mains | City of Reno | A crew checks whether a backup is in the main and clears it |
| Lateral from the home or business to the main | Property owner | Clearing a blockage here is the owner's; the city suggests a professional sewer company |
| Private sewer facilities on private streets or parcels | Owners, per the design manual | Private facilities are owned and maintained by the property owners |
What clogs Reno laterals?
Roots, grease and wipes. EPA names grease and tree roots among the primary causes of sewer blockages, and Reno's older streets have mature trees close to older pipe.
Restaurants downtown and in Midtown add grease. Drain jetting cleans kitchen and laundry lines, and commercial grease line jetting serves restaurants.
Which hydro jetting services are available in Reno?
All seven services are available across Reno, for houses, condos, restaurants and casinos.
- Sewer line jetting for the private lateral from the cleanout to the main, on a schedule if roots are a concern
- Sewer camera inspection to see how far roots have reached
- Tree root removal to cut roots from the lateral
- Drain jetting for kitchen, laundry and bath lines
- Commercial grease line jetting for downtown, Midtown and casino-area kitchens
- Sewer backup help for toilets and floor drains that are overflowing
- Storm drain jetting for lots and drains during spring runoff and storms
Neighborhoods and nearby cities
Calls come from across Reno, including Midtown, the Old Southwest, the University district, Somersett, Caughlin Ranch, Damonte Ranch, Hidden Valley and Arlington Heights.
The nearest other local pages cover hydro jetting in Sacramento and Stockton. Help is also available in Sparks, Carson City, Verdi, Washoe Valley, Incline Village, Fernley and Minden. See the Nevada page for every city we cover.