Sewer Line Replacement in Laveen, AZ

Signs it's more than a clog

• A main-line backup that returns after each clearing
• The lowest shower or tub filling with dirty water when a toilet is flushed
• Gurgling and slow drains in several rooms at once
• A sewage smell or soft, wet ground between the house and the street
• Camera video showing a sag, a pulled-apart joint, roots or broken pipe

How sewer works in Laveen

Laveen Village is one of the City of Phoenix's urban villages, much of it annexed from the mid-1990s onward. Homes inside city limits are on the City of Phoenix Water Services system, and Laveen-area sewer mains flow to the City's 91st Avenue wastewater treatment plant. The City says property owners are responsible for maintaining and repairing the water and sewer lines that run through their property and connect to the City's mains. Water main breaks, service line breaks and sewer emergencies are reported to the City at 602-261-8000.

Some parcels in the Laveen area remain under Maricopa County zoning and may not be on City sewer, so check your bill or ask the City before anything is planned. Housing here is mostly newer: in ZIP 85339, only about 7% of homes were built before 1980. Plastic lines from the last two decades usually fail because backfill settled, a joint separated, roots found a weak fitting or later work for a pool, wall or landscaping hit the pipe. The few older farmhouses that remain from Laveen's farming and dairy past are the most likely to have older materials.

What affects the cost

• Distance and depth to the City main, which can be longer on larger lots
• Method: trenchless where the route is usable, open trench where the pipe has sagged
• Restoration of driveways, pavers, turf and landscaping
• Slab work if the camera finds damage under the house
• Permit and inspection through the City of Phoenix Planning and Development Department

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent local plumber who works in Laveen. The usual first step is clearing the line enough to camera it, then locating the pipe from the surface. Ask for the video and an explanation of each defect. If replacement is the recommendation, the plumber should explain the method, what restoration is included and how the City permit and inspection will be handled; Phoenix Planning and Development customer service is 602-262-7811.