What does Lubbock say about the sewer line from your house?
That it is yours to maintain. The City of Lubbock's water page says it is the property owner's responsibility to maintain the sewer line from the home to the city sewer main, and its code describes the service line as a privately owned pipe, typically four inches, running from the main to the building.
The city also describes what happens when cleaning does not solve the problem: after the owner has a plumber or drain professional clean the line and the issue persists, that professional contacts the Water Utilities Dispatcher so Wastewater Collections can look at the main. In other words, step one is cleaning your own line, which is what sewer line jetting does. Call now to get information about the service and book a visit.
Why do Lubbock service lines clog?
Grease, wipes and debris can all clog a service line, and in older neighborhoods around Tech Terrace and Overton, aging pipe and roots can add to the problem. EPA's inspection manual lists grease and tree roots as the primary causes of sewer blockages.
Lubbock is a flat, open city, but established neighborhoods have mature trees planted decades ago, and roots reach clay joints in older lines. Newer south and west Lubbock subdivisions rely on plastic pipe, where grease and wipes are the more common troubles. A camera inspection shows which one you are facing before any work begins.
Who maintains which part of the line in Lubbock?
The City of Lubbock says owners maintain the sewer line from the home to the city main, and that the main is municipally owned and maintained.
| Piece of the system | Responsible party | Practical meaning for a backup |
|---|---|---|
| City sewer main | City of Lubbock | Municipally owned and maintained |
| Service line from the home to the main, typically four inches | Property owner | Cleaning the line is the owner's first step |
| A blockage that persists after cleaning | Plumber contacts the Water Utilities Dispatcher | Wastewater Collections can then help look at the main |
How do students and rentals affect sewer lines in Lubbock?
Rental houses and apartments near Texas Tech see heavy, changing use. Frequent turnover, more people per bathroom and less awareness of what should not go down the drain all raise the odds of a clog.
Landlords and property managers often set up periodic drain jetting for shared kitchen lines and ask for a camera record between tenants, so a problem is found before the next lease starts. For restaurants and bars near campus and the Depot District, commercial grease line jetting keeps lines open during busy semesters.
Hydro jetting services in Lubbock
All seven hydro jetting services can be booked in Lubbock, for houses, rentals, restaurants and businesses.
- Sewer line jetting for the four-inch service line from the house to the main
- Drain jetting for kitchen, laundry and bathroom branches in rental homes
- Sewer camera inspection for older homes in Tech Terrace and Overton
- Commercial grease line jetting for campus-area and Depot District kitchens
- Tree root removal for lines reached by older trees
- Sewer backup help for a toilet or tub that overflows
- Storm drain jetting for playa-side lots and shopping center drains
Neighborhoods and nearby cities
Calls come from across Lubbock, including Tech Terrace, Overton, the Depot District, Maxey Park, Lakeridge, the Texas Tech area, South Lubbock and North Lubbock.
Lubbock is far from other Texas metros, so the best place to see every city we cover is the Texas page. Help is also available in nearby Plainview and Levelland.