Real Estate Solutions from the Top Utility Contractor in Philadelphia, PA, and Nearby Areas

Over the past few years, there have been an increasing amount of amendments to township codes dealing with private sewer laterals and drains, renewing interest to have sewer camera inspection in Philadelphia, PA, and other areas we serve. These amendments typically state that the township will require closed circuit television inspection of sanitary sewer lateral inspections under certain conditions. One of these conditions being the selling of a home.

So what does that mean? This means that anyone selling a home that has public sewer must first get an inspection of their sewer line using the National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) standards. If the sewer lateral is not in compliance, the property owner is responsible for repairs to bring the line into compliance, which may involve CIPP pipe lining or pipe bursting in Philadelphia, PA, and nearby areas. All inspections must be performed by a certified NASSCO Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP)/Lateral Assessment and Certification Program (LACP) Operator using established PACP/LACP coding and observation or in accordance to other approved criteria/licensure pre-approved by the municipality.

Why is this amendment being enforced? Failing sewer lines are causing quite a stir with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Here is what’s happening; Groundwater and storm runoff are infiltrating failed and aging sewer lines and overwhelming the sewage treatment plants. When this occurs, one of two things happen; the sewage doesn’t get treated properly, OR the treatment plant will bypass pump the excess directly into the watershed. This is when the EPA gets involved and fines the township.

How can Integrity Environmental Services help? We take pride in being the leading utility contractor in Philadelphia, PA, and the surrounding areas. Our company is NASSCO-certified to perform these camera inspections and has actually assisted multiple municipalities in helping them structure their private sewer lateral inspection programs. We provide a detailed plan for each client based on the township's regulations and conduct a camera inspection in accordance with local guidelines. After the camera inspection is completed, the client AND the township will receive a detailed inspection report of our findings and a copy of the video inspection.

What happens if the sewer line is failed? If the sewer line is failed, it will be the homeowner’s responsibility to have the sewer line replaced before the sale of the home. Our company offers a variety of “No-Dig” sewer replacement options, including CIPP pipe lining in Philadelphia, PA, and nearby areas. We would be happy to assist in replacing the sewer line. One great benefit of using a “No-Dig” or trenchless technology to repair/replace the sewer line is that it allows us to make any necessary repairs with minimal disturbance to your client's property and home. This could be a game-changer when trying to sell a home.

Our township does not require sewer inspections, why should we care? Although your township isn’t currently requiring a sewer inspection to sell a home, more and more municipalities are getting on board with this. It doesn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with all of the local code enforced in your area! Also if you are representing someone who is BUYING a home it would be a good idea to suggest a sewer inspection. Sewer inspections are typically not covered in a standard home inspection, and the average cost of replacing a residential sewer line is $6,000- $10,000. Pricing can sometimes exceed this for long or deep runs or if work needs to extend into the road! The average camera inspection of a residential sewer line is around $400. A small price to pay to avoid costly surprises later!

In closing, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and I hope that you have found it to be helpful. Please feel free to reach out to me or our company to ask questions or request informational packets for your clients, we will be happy to assist you.