Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Looking for plumbing advice (trees breaching into our pipes through the cities connection)

Posted on 09/27/2012 4:17:45 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA

We recently had some sewage make it's way up from the drains in our basement. When plumbers were called out, they found that where our pipe connects with the main sewer line, the terra cotta junction has been breached by tree roots. Keep in mind this is out about 10 feet into the street from the curb and our pipes are intact......the only part which has been breached was the city's terra cotta junction to the main sewer line. And this was shown by a camera sent down into the pipe. When talking to the plumber's however, we were shocked to hear them say that we are responsible for digging up the street, and replacing weak joints which are not even ours! And the job to do this would cost approximately $20,000!

Has anyone been through something similar? I believe this is entirely unfair and would like to fight it, but I would like to hear from people who may have gone through something similar, as I am learning that this is fairly common. But I am still shocked that we are responsible for something 10 feet from the curb, and which has been broken but is not even ours, as our pipe is still intact.

I never thought I could like government any less.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: government; plumbing; vanity
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-60 last
To: Red in Blue PA
I had a similar problem in a house I rented. About twice a year the line had to be cleaned out, finally I moved and left it to someone else.

Oft times in older tract houses cheap tough trees were planted that would survive anything but they were usually ones that put down deep roots and were water loving.

My plumber wanted $750 to install another clean out and recommend cutting down the problem tree, several more hundreds, or replacing the whole run of pipe. $2000 doesn't seem unreasonable even if painful for the work you suggest.

41 posted on 09/27/2012 4:54:10 PM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

The city was not going to pay for it. The pipe was offset slightly where it joined the main line, and there were problem roots (city trees, if I remember correctly). We used RootX and did NOTHING. The city did nothing. My husband thinks it was a scam, looking back.


42 posted on 09/27/2012 4:54:10 PM PDT by bboop (does not suffer fools gladly)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: count-your-change

$20,000, not $2,000.

They would be digging 15 feet down however, through concrete.


43 posted on 09/27/2012 4:57:30 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA (Read SCOTUS Castle Rock vs Gonzales before dialing 911!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

I would for a certainty try the cheapest thing first. If it doesn’t work you’re out a few bucks and no harm, but I just haven’t had good experience with poisons, etc. over time.


44 posted on 09/27/2012 5:00:10 PM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

I would ask the plumber if its possible to sip a large pex plastic pipe into the current pipe to prevent any future issues. I have an illegal water pipe. The builder put 1-1/4 inch well pipe(inspectors name was payola) instead of copper. Was talking to the town water guys, who were all too familiar with the issue and the said one of their “friends” had a rig to pull a correct copper pipe to the city connection. I was restoring a 1870’s house with a bad gas pipe. The plumber used the old pipe as a conduit to push a new pipe. In your case all you need is a barrier, so even if the connection isn’t perfect, all you want is to prevent the terracotta from being a problem down the road. Since the likelyhood is the pipe is straight you might even be able to dig up a 6-10 foot section on your property and shove some pvc through your current pipe.

just my 2 cents


45 posted on 09/27/2012 5:01:32 PM PDT by waynesa98
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA
They said we had years before this should prove to be a problem again, as they removed some roots in the pipe.

If that is the case, the Copper Sulfate solution is a good one. They sell it in the plumbing department of the hardware store. It's not expensive, but you have to keep on top of it and do it regularly.

I had this happen, and the roots got too thick so I had to have it dug up and fixed. The city's responsibility ends at their pipe, which makes the junction your problem. Sorry.

46 posted on 09/27/2012 5:02:40 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (Obama considers the Third World morally superior to the United States.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Cyber Liberty

Go to the end of your property, dig up the end of your pipe and stick a new piece on it and shoot it into the street! k probably not a good idea but it would be fun!!!


47 posted on 09/27/2012 5:05:28 PM PDT by Ab Alius Domitor ("In the end; the winner")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

Twenty? Do you have 15 feet of solid concrete? The street and under soil can’t be more than a few feet, under that soil.

Twenty thou sounds a bit much given a couple days use of a back hoe and trench shoring.


48 posted on 09/27/2012 5:07:22 PM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: count-your-change

No, not all concrete. But 15 feet down and through concrete.


49 posted on 09/27/2012 5:08:25 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA (Read SCOTUS Castle Rock vs Gonzales before dialing 911!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

I wish you well. Ouch!


50 posted on 09/27/2012 5:13:22 PM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

Another option that may or may not apply, is to do the root-X treatments until the next time the city does sewer renovation in your street. Many municipalities are still separating storm sewers from sanitary sewers. Getting a new lateral done when they are tearing up the street at taxpayer expense can save you a fortune, if you can wait that long. We got lucky on a 3-unit we owned that had cracked clay pipe. Saved $$$ Thousands, we supplied the coffee and donuts gratis!


51 posted on 09/27/2012 5:22:39 PM PDT by pingman ("Human history seems logical in afterthought, but a mystery in forethought." (Strauss & Howe))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

Your plumber is right the connection to the city main is yours!


52 posted on 09/27/2012 5:26:13 PM PDT by dalereed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

Forget that then, that’s the problem we had too and so just kept calling the plumber every couple years. You may not even want to try poisons.

Localities plan on doing major road repairs every 25 to 50 years.


53 posted on 09/27/2012 5:27:43 PM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat Party!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

They were actually pumping in a concrete-type material that set afterwards; it was just as good as laying new pipe. Air pressure kept the sleeve inflated, then the sleeve was retracted as the last step. It went around a corner and everything.


54 posted on 09/27/2012 5:35:28 PM PDT by PieterCasparzen (We have to fix things ourselves.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: PieterCasparzen

Thanks. I will try to find that.....sounds like a possible workaround.


55 posted on 09/27/2012 5:37:53 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA (Read SCOTUS Castle Rock vs Gonzales before dialing 911!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

Sounds Like Lower Merion a Lotta Terra Cotta Drains


56 posted on 09/27/2012 5:43:57 PM PDT by philly-d-kidder (AB-Sheen"The truth is the truth if nobody believes it,a lie is still a lie, everybody believes it")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA
In our city, I ran across a very similar situation where a customer had several places along the sewer line that roots were getting into. Here, the utility department maintains the tap and any sections of pipe that may be in the right of way, but they will sometimes go beyond the property line if there is a transistion in pipe materials from an older type to a newer type. Saves trouble down the road for the homeowner and the city. The rate at which roots grow, its best to just dig up the line and replace the cracked, or broken sections. Otherwise, it will happen again on a regular basis. In our case, they replaced a ten foot section of 6 inch concrete pipe that had a root in it that was 4” inches in diameter, and 12 feet long. Much too big for a rooter machine to cut out without damaging the pipe and sending chunks of wood and concrete further into the sewer main.
57 posted on 09/27/2012 5:55:48 PM PDT by backtobasics
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

Pssssst When the arborist says he’s going to cut down your tree an grind the roots, he just means that he’ll grind them down to yard level. They do NOT go underground and remove all the roots. We learned that the hard way when we wanted to install a paved circle, rose bed, and fountain where 2 trees had stood. We ended up having to raise the pavers and the rose bed because we could not remove dirt — too many roots in the way. The arborist came back twice, but we still had roots the size of my thigh left behind.


58 posted on 09/27/2012 7:11:58 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic (Joe Biden is reported to be seeking asylum in a foreign country so he does not have to debate Ryan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

A plumber told me recently to flush a box of salt every month. It kills roots growing in the line.


59 posted on 09/27/2012 7:32:29 PM PDT by PistolPaknMama
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA
Went through the same situation about 30 years ago with my business in South Bend, IN. We had to repair the pipes on our property, but the City was responsible for the hook-up to the sewer pipe in the middle of the street.

It was very interesting, because the Sewer Pipe was actually a wooden stave water pipe that had been installed circa 1890. The pipe was in excellent shape, so the City had to look-up the directions to hook-on (needed hot tar), and find an old Cooper that knew how to do it.

Thanks for bring that memory back for me, and good luck ............................................. FRegards

60 posted on 09/27/2012 11:21:07 PM PDT by gonzo ( Buy more ammo, dammit! You should already have the firearms ... FRegards)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-60 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson