Sewer Line Replacement in Montgomery Village, MD

Are Montgomery Village sewer lines old enough to need replacing?

Many are getting there. Montgomery Village is a planned community begun by Kettler Brothers, with its first residents arriving in 1967. Around half of the homes in ZIP 20886 were built before 1980, and the 1970s were the biggest building decade. Sewer pipe from that era has been in the ground for roughly half a century. Depending on the builder and the year, laterals can be cast iron, clay or early plastic, and each ages differently: cast iron scales and cracks, clay joints let roots in, and early plastic joints can loosen or the pipe can deform under load.

Does the community association have a say?

It can. Montgomery Village is unincorporated, and the Montgomery Village Foundation is a homeowners association rather than a town government, so it doesn't issue plumbing permits. Its rules, or those of your own village association in places like Goshenside, Walkers Choice or Cider Mill, may still cover digging in common areas, restoring lawns and walkways, and how long a trench can stay open. In planned communities with attached homes, a stretch of pipe is sometimes shared by more than one unit before it reaches the public sewer, and the governing documents may say who is responsible for it. Before replacing anything, have the plumber camera the line and trace exactly where your pipe runs and where it joins the public system. That map settles most questions about whose pipe is whose.

Who handles the permit?

WSSC Water. Its ePermitting system covers Montgomery County, and only WSSC-registered master plumbers, or their designated proxies, can apply for plumbing permits. Replacing a water or sewer service line is on the list of work that must be done by a plumber registered with WSSC Water. If the project also involves construction beyond the plumbing, Montgomery County's Department of Permitting Services handles building permits.

One local note

If sewage is surfacing at a manhole or affecting several homes on your court, report it to WSSC Water's Emergency Service Center at 301-206-4002. A backup confined to your own home is usually on the private side, and that is where a plumber starts. Keep the camera video after the job; it is useful if you sell the house or have trouble later.