For Scottsdale homes on city sewer, hydro jetting is a deep cleaning of the main drain or lateral that removes grease, roots and buildup with high-pressure water rather than just boring through the clog. It is the common fix for a line that keeps reclogging. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Scottsdale.
Scottsdale Water runs the city's wastewater system, treating flows at its Water Campus reclamation facility and at the regional 91st Avenue plant, and its service area largely follows the city boundary. Some parts of Scottsdale are unsewered, though, and those homes are not on municipal sewer; they use a private onsite wastewater system instead. Knowing which you have is the first step, because it changes who you call and what the plumber can do. The median Scottsdale home was built around 1990. Older ranch houses in the south part of the city are more likely to have cast iron under the slab, while newer homes farther north mostly have plastic pipe that collects grease and soap residue rather than rust.
What to do right now
- Stop using water: no laundry, dishwasher or showers until the line is open.
- Check whether neighbors are affected. If they are, call Scottsdale Water at 480-312-5650, which the city lists as both its general and emergency number.
- Find your cleanout, usually a capped pipe near the foundation or in the yard, and keep the area clear.
- If sewage has come up indoors, keep people and pets away and don't use chemical drain openers, which can splash and harm the plumber.
- Call a plumber and describe which fixtures backed up first.
Symptoms and what they usually mean
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Kitchen sink slow again weeks after clearing | Grease coating the kitchen branch |
| Shower water rises when a toilet flushes | Restriction in the main building drain |
| Root fibers on the cable | Roots entering a joint in the lateral |
| Rust flakes in the debris | Scaled cast iron in an older home |
| Every drain slow at once | Blockage near where the lateral meets the city main |
What affects the cost
- Cleanout access, and whether a toilet has to be pulled
- How long the lateral is, which varies a lot on larger Scottsdale lots
- Root mass versus soft grease
- Camera inspection before and after
- Evening or weekend service
If the cleaning reveals pipe that needs repair, Scottsdale requires a plumbing permit to repair or alter any plumbing system, issued through Planning and Development Services' One Stop Shop. For homes on a private onsite system, the line from the house to the tank can be jetted, but the tank itself is a separate service.
Hydro Jetting questions in Scottsdale
How do I find out who handles my sewer?
Can a plumber jet the drain line at a home that is not on municipal sewer?
Is hydro jetting safe for an older cast iron or clay sewer line?
Does hydro jetting need a permit?
More plumbing services in Scottsdale
Hydro Jetting nearby
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