In the Town of Clifton, Fairfax County public sewer is available only to existing buildings that meet the County's guidelines, and many homes are not on municipal sewer. Whether your line runs to a County main or a private onsite wastewater system, the drain line from the house is the owner's and a plumber repairs it. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Clifton.
Signs the drain line is in trouble
- Water backing up into the lowest fixtures in the house
- Gurgling toilets and sinks when other fixtures drain
- Several drains slowing at once
- Sewage odor indoors or along the route of the line
- Soggy or sunken ground over the pipe
One slow sink is usually a local clog. Trouble across the house points to the main building drain or the line leaving the house.
Clifton specifics
Clifton is a tiny historic village in southwestern Fairfax County, about 22 miles from Washington, and a National Historic District since 1984. The median home dates to 1940, making it by far the oldest housing in this part of the county. Drain lines in houses that old can be cast iron or clay, and many have been patched over the years.
The Town has no water system, and homes rely on private wells. Public sewer is limited: the Town says it's available only to existing buildings that meet Fairfax County's administrative guidelines, connection needs County approval, and new homes on vacant lots must have room for a well and an onsite wastewater field. So for many Clifton houses, a drain line repair means the pipe from the house to the onsite system's tank rather than a lateral to a street main. If the camera shows that pipe is sound, the problem may be in the onsite system, which needs its own service provider.
Permits come from Fairfax County Land Development Services, but in Clifton the Mayor or a designee must sign building permit applications before they go to the County; for interior-only work, the Town clerk provides a letter to the County. The wider 20124 ZIP covers a much larger unincorporated area outside the town, where Fairfax County rules apply directly.
Cost factors
- Pipe age and material, and how much of the run is damaged
- Length of the line on a wooded lot
- Historic landscaping, stone walls or mature trees along the route
- Lining versus excavation
- County permit plus the Town sign-off
When you call
An independent plumber who serves Clifton will ask whether your home is on public sewer or an onsite system, which drains are affected and whether this has happened before. Expect a camera inspection after the line is cleared, so the repair is based on what the pipe actually looks like.
Sewer Line Repair questions in Clifton
My home isn't on public sewer. What can a plumber still help with?
How do I find out who provides sewer service at my address?
Do I need a permit to repair a sewer line here?
What are sewer laterals under older homes here usually made of?
More plumbing services in Clifton
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