Private Sewer Lateral Line Program

With the adoption of Resolution 2026-013, the City Council established a Private Sewer Lateral Line Program, effective July 1, 2026. 

In accordance with this program, the following prompts will bring a property into the Program for evaluation: 

• Observed inflow/infiltration, water coming from the lateral into the mainline (most likely from TV inspection of the mainline)
• A real estate transaction for property ownership change
• Smoke from Smoke Testing from the lateral area or gutters/downspouts
• When the City replaces a mainline manhole to manhole, all laterals attached to that section of pipe will be evaluated.

Step 1 under the program will require a Camera Inspection of the sewer lateral line. 

A failed inspection will result in Step 2, which will require the Repair or Replacement of the private sewer lateral line. 

More details can be found in Resolution 2026-013, or by contacting the Bay City Public Works Department.