Sewer line replacement installs new pipe for the private lateral between your building and the City of Atlanta's sewer, either by digging a trench or with trenchless methods like pipe bursting or a cured-in-place liner. It is the better choice when damage runs along much of the line instead of sitting in one spot. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Atlanta.
When a new line beats another repair
Ask to watch the camera recording behind any replacement quote. Replacement is usually the sound call when the video shows:
- Roots or cracks at joint after joint along the run
- Several sections that have slipped out of alignment
- A long belly where wastewater sits
- Pipe that is flattening, crumbling or has collapsed
Also add up what you have spent clearing the same line. Paying for root cutting again and again can cost more over time than a new pipe.
Three ways to replace it
| Method | What happens | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Trench (open cut) | The old pipe is excavated and new pipe is set at proper slope | Collapsed lines and lines with grade problems |
| Pipe bursting | A bursting head breaks the old pipe outward and pulls new pipe in behind it | Runs under driveways, walks, trees or finished landscaping |
| Cured-in-place lining | A resin-soaked tube is inflated and cured inside the old pipe | Cracked pipe that still holds its shape and slope |
Trenchless work is not hole-free. It needs an entry pit and an exit pit, and because it follows the existing path, it cannot correct a line that has lost its slope.
Where Atlanta replacements come from
Atlanta's median home was built in 1989, but about 42.7% of homes are older than 1980. The early-1900s bungalow streets inside the city are where clay and cast iron laterals sit under mature trees, and those are the lines most likely to be worn out from end to end. Newer construction rarely needs a full replacement this soon.
Permits and the public main
New or replacement plumbing in one- and two-family homes is covered by a technical permit from the City of Atlanta Office of Buildings, applied for online with no plan review. The plumber usually files it and arranges inspection before backfill. The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management runs the public sewer the lateral connects to. If damage seems to reach the street connection, contact ATL 311 at 404-546-0311 before work starts.
Worth adding while the ground is open
An outdoor two-way cleanout near the foundation gives future plumbers easy access for cleaning and camera work.
What affects the cost
Length and depth of the line, the replacement method, concrete or landscaping that must be removed and restored, and permit fees all affect price. Get the method and the restoration work listed in writing.
Sewer Line Replacement questions from Atlanta homeowners
How long will a new sewer line last?
Can every sewer line be replaced without a trench?
Does an Atlanta sewer replacement need a permit?
Who should I contact if the damage reaches the street?
Related plumbing services in Atlanta
Helpful guides
Sewer Line Replacement in nearby cities and towns
Fulton County
DeKalb County
Cobb County
Gwinnett County
Clayton County
Cherokee County
Forsyth County
Paulding County
Douglas County
Fayette County
Henry County
Coweta County
Bartow County
Spalding County
Sources
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