Sewer Line Repair in Boyds, MD

Is my Boyds home on public sewer?

Boyds is a former railroad and dairy-farming village in upper Montgomery County, and it's still semi-rural around Black Hill Regional Park and Little Seneca Lake. The Boyds ZIP covers a mix of village lots, newer homes and open land, so sewer service differs from one property to the next. The quickest checks are your bill, since WSSC Water customers on public sewer are billed for it, and the water and sewer service category Montgomery County assigns to every property. If you're not sure, tell the plumber when you call; it changes where they start looking.

What does a sewer repair involve here?

For homes on WSSC sewer, WSSC owns the public mains and the line from the house to the WSSC connection is the owner's. Report overflowing manholes or sewage in the road to WSSC's Emergency Service Center at 301-206-4002. For homes on a private onsite system, the plumber's part is the drain line from the house to the system's inlet; the treatment system itself goes to a specialist.

In both cases, the plumber usually opens a cleanout, clears the line and runs a camera to find roots, a crack, a sag or a separated joint. On longer rural runs, the camera's locator also marks where the problem sits so any digging is kept to one spot.

Who issues the permit?

WSSC Water issues permits for and inspects plumbing work across Montgomery County, including in Boyds, and most work must be done by a plumber registered with WSSC (Permit Services 301-206-4003). Montgomery County's Department of Permitting Services handles building, electrical and mechanical permits if the project needs them. WSSC's simplified homeowner permit doesn't cover buried piping deeper than four feet, so sewer repairs are normally handled by the plumber's permit.

• Toilets gurgle or drains slow throughout the house
• The lowest drain backs up first
• Wet ground or odor along the pipe route

A local note

On larger Boyds lots, the line from the house can run a long way before it reaches the street connection or the onsite system. A camera inspection with a locator is the most reliable way to find the trouble spot before anyone starts digging.