The City of Falls Church operates and maintains its sewer system, and defects in a private lateral belong to the property owner. A sewer camera inspection films that lateral to find roots, cracks, sags or buildup and shows where they are. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Falls Church.
Falls Church in brief
Falls Church is a small independent city just inside the Beltway where U.S. 29 and Route 7 meet. Its median home was built in 1971, and about half of homes are older than that, so original clay or cast iron laterals are common. City sewage flows to two plants: Arlington County's Pollution Control Plant and, through Fairfax County, the Alexandria wastewater treatment plant. The Falls Church mailing area spreads well beyond the city into Fairfax and Arlington counties, where County sewer and County permits apply instead.
What to do now
- Stop using water if a floor drain or low fixture is backing up.
- Confirm you are in the city. Many Falls Church addresses, such as around Seven Corners, are in Fairfax or Arlington County.
- Contact the City's Public Works staff if you think the public sewer might be involved.
- Find the cleanout but leave it closed if the line is full.
- Book the camera to film the lateral and mark any defects.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Basement floor drain overflows during heavy use | Restriction in an old building drain or lateral |
| Clogs return every few months | Roots in clay joints |
| Slow drains throughout | Scale narrowing cast iron |
| Same clog at the same distance | An offset joint or a sag |
Cost factors
- Cleanout access in a basement or yard
- Clearing roots or debris first
- Run length and bends to the City sewer
- Locating defects from above and saving the video
- Tight older lots where additions, porches or garages sit over the line
Older houses here often have several generations of pipe joined together, and the camera shows each transition, which matters when choosing between a spot repair and replacing a longer run.
The City offers a sewer Backflow Prevention Program that reimburses homeowners for a sewer backflow prevention device installed by a plumber holding the required license, under a plumbing permit. Filming the lateral first shows whether the pipe also needs repair. Permits come from the City's Department of Code Administration on Park Avenue (703-248-5080). When you call, you are connected with an independent plumber who works in Falls Church.
Sewer Camera Inspection questions in Falls Church
Can the footage help me decide on a sewer backflow preventer?
My mailing address uses the town's name, but I'm outside its limits. Who runs my sewer?
Who owns the sewer lateral between my house and the public main?
Can a camera explain why my basement floor drain backs up?
More plumbing services in Falls Church
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