Sewer Lateral Repair Program

A sewer lateral is a privately owned pipe which carries waste water from a home or business to a public sewer main. The parameters of which are defined as the 6” pipe beginning at the four (4) inch by six (6) inch (4”x6”) connection, continuing downstream to, and including, the connection with the public sewer main, wherever the main may lie.

On November 4, 1997, citizens of the City of Glendale voted to establish a sewer lateral repair program within the community. The Sewer Lateral Repair Program began officially on January 1, 1998 and is designed to pay up to a maximum of $3,000 towards repairing broken residential sewer laterals. All residential units are covered under this program with the exception of the three (3) condominium complexes within the City of Glendale.

Under the Sewer Lateral Repair Program, residents pay a $50.00 annual fee that is billed quarterly in $12.50 increments on the City’s sanitation bill. This fee is used entirely for the Sewer Lateral Repair Program and cannot be used for any other purpose.

The Sewer Lateral Repair Program pays for point-of-break repairs, which means that only the portion of the pipe that is defective is repaired. The City will only replace the entire sewer lateral if it is determined to be necessary by the City in consultation with a licensed plumber or drain layer.

The responsibility of the Sewer Lateral Repair Program is limited to the screening for the break or offset, excavation and repair of the lateral pipe, and backfilling in a workmanlike manner.

The Sewer Lateral Repair Program will also be responsible for filling any machinery ruts and scraping any excess dirt created during the repair and the replacement of sidewalks and parts of paved driveways and streets removed to repair defective laterals.

The City will pay for diagnostics and repair charges up to a maximum of $3,000 per repair of a sewer lateral. Any additional amount above the $3,000 ceiling will be the responsibility of the property owner.

Licensed plumbers and drain layers will be contracted to work on the sanitary sewer lateral on a bid basis. The City will establish a bid list and send out bids and contract with the lowest and best bidder. Upon contracting with a plumber or drain layer, the City will work closely with the contractor to ensure that the sewer is repaired in a workmanlike manner. St. Louis County will inspect the sewer upon completion of the repair and the City will make any payment directly to the contractor only if the repairs are satisfactorily complete

It will be the responsibility of the property owner to restore landscaping and ground covers, including grass in whatever manner they choose. The City is not responsible for restoration to a grass or landscaped surface.

In the event obstacles such as yard sheds, garages, etc. are in the path of the lateral and/or lie over the damaged portion of the lateral, the City reserves the right to reroute the lateral to avoid the necessity of removing the structure.

The program does not cover the cost to replace any trees, shrubs, flowers, sod, decks, retaining walls, fencing, or outbuildings that may be damaged during the televising or repair of the sewer lateral.

1. If a blockage in your lateral occurs that cannot be removed by a plumber or sewer cleaning service, or a sinkhole is observed, you may have a broken sewer lateral. If such a condition exists, you should submit an application to the Sewer Lateral Repair Program. Applications are available online at www.glendalemo.org,or at Glendale City Hall, 424 N. Sappington Rd.
2. Because the program will not pay for the cost of a cleaning to remove tree roots, buildups, or foreign objects, property owners should not submit an application to the program until an attempt has been made to clean out the sanitary sewer lateral by a plumber or professional sewer cleaning service. Additionally, because payment to the program is made as part of the property owners quarterly trash bill, those delinquent on trash billing will not be eligible for coverage.
3. Upon receipt of the application, the City will have the sanitary sewer lateral examined with a special video camera to inspect for the existence of defective pipe, and to ensure the accuracy of information provided by a previous camera inspection. If a break is found, a scope of work and bidding document will be sent to a pool of qualified plumbers and/or drain layers in order to obtain bids for the repair. If the City finds that there is no break and the sewer was simply blocked with tree roots, waste materials, or foreign objects, then the cost of cleaning and/or opening the sewer lateral shall be the responsibility of the applicant. If the sewer lateral is found to be eligible for repair, the City will bear the cost for cleaning and/or opening, if needed, in conjunction with this investigative stage.
4. The City will request bids from a pool of qualified plumbers and drain layers. On non-emergency repairs, bids must be returned to the City within 4 working days, at which time the bid will be awarded to the lowest, most responsible bidder. After receiving the bids, the City will notify the property owner of the bid results, and the contractor's name and contact information if the total project cost is below the $3,000.00 maximum allowed by the program. If the total project cost is in excess of $3,000.00, the bid will be awarded in consultation with the property owner.
5. It will be the responsibility of the property owner to schedule repairs with the plumbing repair contractor. As the Sewer Lateral Repair Program is a pay-as-you-go program, non-emergency repairs may be placed on a waiting list until funds become available. All emergency repairs will be expedited and will be handled ahead of non-emergency repairs.
6. As the City will only pay up to a maximum of $3,000 for a single sewer lateral repair, the resident will be required to pay the remaining balance of the cost of any work upon completion of the repair of the lateral. Any changes to the work order required during construction that will cause the repair to exceed the $3,000 maximum will be discussed with the resident prior to the additional work order being approved by the City. Cleaning and diagnostic expenses incurred by the program will be included as part of the $3,000 maximum.
7. As the work is being done, a St. Louis County plumbing inspector will inspect the sewer lateral repair at key times. Upon completion of the sewer lateral repair, the sewer will be backfilled with existing materials. After backfilling, the resident should expect that there will be a large pile of backfill materials in their yard at the site of the repair until such time as the site settles which largely depends on weather conditions. After the site has settled, and at the request of the property owner, the contractor will return to the construction site and remove all excess backfill dirt and apply grass seed with a straw covering. The grass seed is an erosion control method and is not intended to fully restore lawns, rather this, and any other landscaping repairs, will be the responsibility of the property owner. 
8. The City will repair excavations that occur in streets, driveways and public sidewalks using like materials as were removed for the sewer lateral repair. Restorations of private walkways, generally leading from a driveway to a porch, are not covered under this program.
9. The City will pay invoices from the repairs directly to the contractor after the work is satisfactorily completed and inspected. Any amount over $3,000 for diagnostic, cleaning, and repairs of any sewer lateral must be paid by the homeowner to the City, who in turn pay the plumbing and drain laying contractor working on the sewer lateral.

Complete this application to apply online. You may also apply at City Hall, which is located at 424 N. Sappington Rd.