The two exceptions worth checking are a private or shared sewer line, and a backup that's actually caused by the city sewer overflowing in heavy rain rather than by your pipe.
Which pipes PWD says are yours
PWD's customer responsibilities page and its wastewater responsibilities page list these sewer-side parts as the owner's:
- Main house drain, the pipe inside and under the house.
- Curb trap, usually near the front wall or under the sidewalk.
- Lateral, the pipe from the trap out to the sewer.
- Slant or tap, the fitting that joins the lateral to the city sewer.
- Vent pipe (the fresh air inlet) and its vent box and cover.
This is the sewer side only. The water service line that brings drinking water in is a separate pipe with its own rules; see who pays to fix a leaking water service line.
Check whether your line is shared or private
Most Philadelphia homes drain straight to a public sewer, but not all. PWD's customer guide says private sewers are the shared responsibility of every property connected to them, and it advises buyers to confirm before purchase that a home doesn't share a private lateral. If one pipe serves several houses, a repair on it isn't yours alone.
To find out what you have, contact PWD's Water Transport Records unit at wtr@phila.gov or (215) 685-6271. It keeps PWD's infrastructure records and inspects lateral connections and repairs (Water Transport Records). Ask whether the sewer your house connects to is public or private, and whether there's a record of your lateral's connection. Also pull any old repair invoices, permits or defect notices that came with the house.
A backup doesn't prove the lateral is broken
PWD's flooding guide names two different causes of sewage in a basement. A clogged or cracked lateral is your problem. But in heavy rain, flow in the city sewer can reach or pass its capacity and push water back up into basement toilets, sinks and floor drains, especially in areas served by the combined sewer system.
The pattern is a useful first clue, though not proof. A backup that shows up only in big storms, when neighbors have trouble too, fits the sewer overflowing. One that happens in dry weather or keeps getting worse points more toward your lateral or house drain. Gurgling fixtures and sewer smells can point either way; our guides on a gurgling toilet and a floor drain that smells like sewer gas cover the simpler causes first.
For frequent backups, PWD asks you to call 215-685-6300 to schedule an inspection before you pump the water out, so it can sample the water. Stay out of sewage and away from wet outlets or appliances.
If storm overflows are the cause, PWD's Basement Protection Program may install backwater valves on basement fixtures or the main house drain at no cost for homes that qualify. Call 215-685-6069 to ask.
If PWD finds a defect
When PWD finds a cracked lateral, it issues a Notice of Defect. The customer guide says owners get up to 10 days to make repairs, and that water service can be shut off in extreme cases. Read the deadline on your own notice, and call PWD right away if you think it names the wrong pipe or property.
Repairs must be made by a Philadelphia-licensed plumber, and a licensed master plumber has to oversee the work (L&I plumbing permits). Clearing a clog doesn't need a permit; digging up and repairing a lateral needs a PWD Sewer Connection Permit (PWD permits). Our guide to permits for a sewer lateral repair walks through which permit covers which pipe and how the street opening and inspection work.
Paying for it: the HELP loan
If you've received a Notice of Defect, PWD's Homeowner's Emergency Loan Program (HELP) can finance the repair. The City lists these conditions:
- You own the property and apply yourself; it can be tenant-occupied, but it must be mainly residential with four units or fewer.
- Your water account isn't delinquent for more than two billing cycles.
- You agree to a lien on the property for the loan.
PWD says it contacts applicants within two business days to schedule an inspection, then gives a cost estimate and the loan agreement to review. The loan is repaid over 60 months and is interest-free unless payments are late. Contact HELP at (215) 685-4901 or PWDHelpLoan@phila.gov.
What to ask before you pay for a dig
- Which part failed: the house drain, the curb trap, the lateral or the slant? Show me the camera footage.
- Is this a clog that can be cleared, or a break that needs excavation?
- Does PWD's record show a public sewer, or a shared private line?
- Which permits will you pull, and who restores the sidewalk and street?
Outside the city, these PWD rules don't apply. In Bucks and Montgomery County, start with whoever sends your sewer bill, since township sewer authorities set their own lateral rules.