Sewer line replacement in College Park means new pipe in the private line that runs from your house to the WSSC Water main. It makes the most sense when a camera finds damage at several points, which is common under the early 20th-century homes in neighborhoods like Calvert Hills and Old Town. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in College Park.
College Park's sewer picture
WSSC Water provides sewer service across College Park, and its Emergency Services Center (301-206-4002) handles problems in the public system. The city's median home dates to 1979, but that average blends early 1900s houses near the University of Maryland with newer apartments along US 1. Older laterals can be clay or cast iron, which crack, scale and let roots in. The Lakeland area, which sits low between Paint Branch and Indian Creek, has a long history of flooding, so heavy rain there can make a weak line show itself fast.
What to do right now
- Stop using water. Every flush or load of laundry adds to what is backing up.
- Check whether it is just you. If neighbors have the same trouble or sewage is coming out of a manhole, call WSSC Water at 301-206-4002.
- Find the cleanout. It is usually a capped pipe near the foundation or in the basement. A plumber will run a camera from there.
- Keep people and pets away from any sewage on the floor, and move valuables out of a wet basement.
- Write down the history. How often the line has been cleared and what came out helps the plumber judge whether replacement is due.
Symptoms and likely causes
| What you notice | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Backups that return a few weeks after clearing | Roots growing back through cracked or separated joints |
| Slow drains throughout the house | Scale or a partial collapse narrowing an old pipe |
| Trouble worst after a storm | Groundwater getting into a cracked line, or a sag that fills |
| Sewer smell in the basement | A broken pipe under the floor or a dry floor drain trap |
| Wet patch in the yard that never dries | A break leaking into the soil |
What sets the price
Length and depth of the line, the method (lining or bursting if the old path is usable, trenching if not), what has to be removed and replaced on top, and whether drain pipe inside the house also needs work all move the number. Permits and inspections come from WSSC Water, not the city or county, and the work must be done by a plumber holding a WSSC license.
Sewer Line Replacement questions in College Park
What tends to go wrong with sewer pipe under older houses here?
Who should I call first when sewage backs up into the house?
Is it worth adding a cleanout or backwater valve during the replacement?
Who issues the permit for replacing a sewer line here?
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