Snellville's sewer is provided by Gwinnett County's Department of Water Resources, and Gwinnett makes owners responsible for the entire sewer lateral, including its connection to the county sewer. A sewer line replacement in Snellville is new pipe for that full private run. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Snellville.
Snellville in brief
Snellville is an established southern Gwinnett suburb on US 78. The city has no water department; its building permit page requires water and sewer tap receipts from Gwinnett DWR. Gwinnett's rule puts the whole sewer lateral on the owner, including the connection to the county sewer. The median home was built in 1991 and about 29.7% predate 1980, according to ACS 2019-2023 estimates, so Snellville has a real mix: older clay or cast iron in the earlier neighborhoods, plastic in most of the rest.
First steps
- Stop running water until the line is checked.
- Ask neighbors whether they're having trouble. Problems in the public sewer go to Gwinnett DWR's 24-hour dispatch at 678.376.7000.
- Check the cleanout. Water standing in it means the blockage is downstream.
- Have a plumber clear the line and run a camera to the county connection, since it's all yours.
- Base the repair-or-replace decision on the footage.
- Expect the City of Snellville to permit and inspect the work.
Signs and probable causes
| Sign | Probable cause |
|---|---|
| Recurring backups | Roots, a crack or a collapsed section |
| Standing water on camera | Sag from settled soil |
| Lower level backs up first | Restriction in the main lateral |
| Odor near the cleanout | Loose joint or cracked pipe |
Cost factors
- Full length of the lateral including the tie-in to the county sewer
- Depth, slope and whether trenchless replacement is possible
- Driveways, fences and landscaping above the route
- Interior drain pipe replaced at the same time
- City permit and inspection
Snellville issues its own building permits and does city inspections, with 24 hours' notice through the City Building Inspector. Plumbing subcontractors must file subcontractor affidavits, and the city has a local amendment to the plumbing code covering water efficiency. The plumber normally handles all of that. In the older neighborhoods off US 78, laterals from before 1980 may be clay or cast iron that has failed at many joints, which is the classic case for replacing the whole run. Newer homes more often need a single sagged or cracked section addressed. Either way, ask for the camera footage, and keep it with the permit record so a future buyer or plumber can see what was done.
Sewer Line Replacement questions in Snellville
Where does my part of the sewer line end and the utility's part begin?
Who issues the permit for replacing a sewer line here?
How can I tell a sewer line needs replacing instead of another repair?
What makes one sewer replacement cost more than another?
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