Sewer Camera Inspection in Douglasville, GA

Who takes care of the sewer pipe on my Douglasville lot?

You do. The City of Douglasville does not run water or sewer; WSA provides both. According to WSA, it owns the meter and the lines in the road right-of-way, and the customer is responsible for water and sewer lines on the property. A camera shows you whether a problem is on your lot, where you would pay to fix it, or closer to the street, where WSA's lines are.

WSA's published materials do not say whether sewer is available at every address, so if you are unsure, check your bill for a sewer charge.

What kind of pipe am I likely to have?

Douglasville grew mostly in the 1990s and 2000s along I-20, and the median home was built in 2001. About 21% of homes predate 1980, many of them near the historic downtown and O'Neal Plaza. Newer subdivisions off Douglas Boulevard and around Arbor Place generally have plastic drain lines, which can sag or separate. Older homes downtown may have older materials with more joints, where roots get in. The camera tells you which you have.

How does the inspection work?

A plumber feeds a waterproof camera on a flexible cable into the line, usually through a cleanout near the foundation. A full line gets cleared first. The camera then moves toward the street, showing the pipe wall on a monitor. A transmitter in the head lets the plumber locate the camera from above and mark the spot and depth of anything that needs attention. Ask for a copy of the recording.

Before the visit, stop using water if anything is backing up, find the cleanout if you can, and note which fixtures have been slow.

A permit note

If the video shows a repair is needed, plumbing work inside Douglasville city limits needs a permit from the City of Douglasville Community Development Building Division, applied for through the BS&A online portal. The plumber doing the repair normally takes care of it, and the city inspects the work. Douglasville addresses outside city limits fall under Douglas County instead. If the camera shows the problem is in the right-of-way, share the footage and the marked location with WSA so it can check its lines.