Building drain / sewer pipe. Who owns it in NJ?

ChrisJ

When you have a building drain that goes out of a house and within 10 feet or so goes under a state highway, who owns what in NJ?

With city water we own to the curb stop which of course is usually near the curb and then the curb stop and anything after is the water company's. But what's the deal with the building drain? Where does my pipe end and theirs begin?

Robertw

In Nj they install a spur tied into the city mains. Its the building owners responsibility from there to the building.

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1824009#Comment_1824009

So if the main sewer is 30' under a state highway, the building owner owns all of that pipe?

Robertw

As far as i know. I had a customer on rt 17 in has hgts who's sewer ran under the highway. We ended up installing a lift statin and pumping it to a city main 100 ft away. State wouldn't help. This was back in 2001 and I haven't heard of any changes

Jamie Hall

Oh that's jolly. Around here it's the sewer department's problem to the property line. Then it's yours.

Intplm.

A trip to the town hall is necessary to discover where the responsibility begins and ends. This situation might be and should be a special circumstances issue.

ethicalpaul

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1824033#Comment_1824033

I think that's what they are saying. The property line is the center of the roadway to my knowledge in every state I've lived in.

Jamie Hall

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1824052#Comment_1824052

And that depends on the class of road in Connecticut. Many old town roads that is true. The public (town) will have a right of way — typically 3 rods wide but sometimes 2— centred on the travelled way (and oh does that get interesting sometimes, if the travelled way had moved with time! But if there is an old wall, that will mark the edge), but only for passage. Doesn't provide for utilities, and even paving or improving such a road can get difficult. However, newer roads such as in subdivisions and all State or Federal highways are on deeded rights of way.

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1824052#Comment_1824052

I have heard of that in PA but I've never heard of it in NJ and it's certainly not the case in my town.

ethicalpaul

Yeah you're right Chris, I just looked at my survey. I must have had that memory burned into my mind from other homes…I'm sure @Jamie Hall is right, it depends on the type of road and or the locale.

JUGHNE

This must really vary from locale to locale.

We are about 300' from the sewer main. When building our house we installed about 200' of private pipe on our property at out expense.

Then the final 100' crossed a street. We had to pay for the labor/installation but the village furnished the 6" pipe for the crossing. I wanted to furnish that final pipe, thinking of ownership, to possibly recoup some expense if anyone else ever wanted to connect on it.

But no, it was public land and public sewer main and anyone could connect to it in the future. It is accessible in the ditch on either side of the road.

Most of our sewer mains are in the alley. There was a tap installed for each lot.

Homeowners must pay for the entire installation up to that point.

For water supply the homeowner must pay for the entire install from the main.

The water company furnishes and installs the corporation stop on the main, (meaning they own it and can shut it off if needed…..if they dig it up in the street).

Our curb stops are supposed to be installed on the lot line…..that is always a guess of approximation.

SlamDunk

My brother in nyc found out he was responsible for his sewer to the main which was below a very wide and busy street. It doesn't seem fair for All those trucks and cars driving thru pot holes pounding on the pipe all day and night. Fortunately, he bought insurance thru a utility company (ConEd?) for $5/month and they took care of it no questions asked. It would have been a very high five figure number if he had to pay-according the the plumbing company. Same with my parent's sewer line just up the street. All replaced by this insurance.

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1824099#Comment_1824099

Yeah that's what I've had but apparently the cost is now climbing to $28 a month.

SlamDunk

it became available to me a year ago for $5/mo. I bought it. I wouldn't for 28 because I'm on a quiet street but if it was under a highway, I would. It isn't just the length, it is also the depth below the road.

PC7060

In Virginia it varies by county or town. In Henrico county, property owner is responsible to the property line. In Fairfax county, it’s the entire distance to the sewer connection.

trivetman

Ive looked at that insurance offered through the utility. The offer I saw wasn’t expensive (maybe $10/month) but also didn’t cover much. Limit of coverage was like $3,500 an incident and $7,000 annual. I’d pay if it looked like the terms covered anything major but $3500 isn’t much coverage.

This is getting far from the original question. @ChrisJ - is this your house with the sewer issue?

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1824128#Comment_1824128

It's my house but there's no issue.

Other than it's really old cast iron. No trees around or any other issues I'm just sure eventually it's going to be a bad day.

hot_rod

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1824130#Comment_1824130

they can do a lot with the liners these days, even pressure burst a bad section to get the liner in.

How far away is the closest tree?

It might be worth running a camera down it now, to maybe catch a potential problem.

Or see if it is worth buying the insurance😗