The City of Colton's Wastewater Department runs the city's sewer collection lines and its own treatment plant, while the line from your house to the city sewer is a plumbing job on your property. A sewer camera inspection films that line and shows roots, cracks, sags or blockages and exactly where they are. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Colton.
Colton, the Hub City known for the Colton Crossing rail junction, operates more than 100 miles of sewer collection pipeline and owns a secondary wastewater treatment plant. About 51.5% of its homes were built before 1980, with a median build year of 1979, so many laterals have been in the ground for decades. Older clay and cast iron pipe from that period tends to crack at the hubs and let roots in at the joints, and mature trees planted near an older line make root intrusion more likely. Most homes sit on slabs, so the first part of each drain runs beneath the floor. City water and wastewater crews respond to sewer blockages in the public system, and the after-hours emergency line is 909-370-5000. A backup limited to your house is almost always in your own line.
What to do now
- Cut water use. Hold off on laundry, dishes and showers so a partial clog does not overflow.
- Look at the pattern. One slow fixture is usually local. Many at once points to the main line.
- Check with neighbors. If they are backing up too, call the city line above about the public sewer.
- Find the cleanout. Look for a capped pipe near the foundation or in the yard.
- Clear, then film. The footage tells you whether roots, a crack or a sag caused the stoppage.
- Get it marked. A surface mark with a depth estimate is what a repair plan is built on.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Clogs that return every few months | Roots entering an older joint |
| Tub fills when a toilet flushes | Blockage in the main line past the house |
| Wet or sunken strip in the yard | A cracked or broken section leaking into soil |
| Slow drains after ground movement or heavy rain | A joint that shifted out of line |
| Gurgling toilets | Partial restriction pushing air back up |
Cost factors
- Access through an outside cleanout or through a toilet or vent
- Waste in the line that must be cleared before filming
- The length of the run and the number of bends
- Surface locating and a copy of the recording
- A repair afterward: the City of Colton requires a building permit to replace water or sewer lines, through the Building & Safety Division at (909) 370-5079
Sewer Camera Inspection questions in Colton
Who should I call when sewage backs up after hours?
Is a permit needed if the inspection turns up a broken line?
Can the footage show what kind of pipe I have?
Can ground movement from earthquakes affect a sewer line?
More plumbing services in Colton
Sewer Camera Inspection nearby
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