A sewer line that backs up, roots up or breaks underground almost never fixes itself, and the repair can range from one short dig in the yard to a new line all the way to the street. This page walks through how that decision usually gets made in Wichita: figuring out whose problem it is, finding the bad spot before digging, picking between a repair and a replacement, and the permit that goes with each.
Signs the problem is the sewer line, not one drain
- Several fixtures drain slowly at once, or a toilet gurgles when the washer empties.
- Water or sewage comes up in the lowest drain in the house, usually a basement floor drain or a shower.
- A sewage smell outside, or a soggy or sunken strip of lawn along the route from the house toward the street.
- A plumber has augered the line more than once and the backups keep coming back.
One slow sink is a clogged drain. Everything slow at once points to the main line out of the house.
First call: the city or a plumber?
The private building sewer runs from your house to the tap on the city main, and fixing it is generally on the owner. The City of Wichita's claims FAQ also says the city isn't liable for backups caused by other residents putting grease and similar material down the sewer. If neighbors are backing up too, or water is rising out of your floor drain and you suspect the main, call City of Wichita Public Works & Utilities at (316) 262-6000, the number it lists for emergency water leaks and sewer stoppages. If the city finds the main flowing, the problem is on your side and it's time for a plumber or sewer contractor.
Sewer camera inspection: find the bad spot before anyone digs
Most sewer jobs now start with a camera run through a cleanout. The video shows what's wrong (roots, a crushed or offset joint, a sag that holds water, a broken section) and roughly how far from the cleanout it sits, and a locator on the camera head lets the crew mark that spot and its depth on the ground above. That one step decides whether you need a single repair pit or a whole new line. If the house has no outside cleanout, adding one is often part of the job and makes every future cleaning cheaper.
Don't count on Kansas 811 to mark the sewer itself. The utilities mark their own gas, electric, water and fiber lines, and the excavator still has to file the locate before digging, but a private sewer lateral is yours and usually isn't marked. The camera locate is how the crew knows where it runs.
A sewer camera inspection is only useful if you can check it yourself. Before you pay for a dig, ask for:
- The video file, not just a summary. It's your line; a contractor who won't hand over the footage is asking you to take the diagnosis on faith.
- The distance counter on screen. Every problem should come with a footage reading from the cleanout, so a second contractor can find the same spot.
- The whole run. The camera should go from the cleanout to where the line meets the city main, or the report should say why it stopped (a collapse, standing water, a blockage it couldn't pass).
- Depth at each problem. The locator gives a depth at the camera head. A 4-foot repair pit and a 9-foot one are very different jobs, and anything 5 feet or deeper needs shoring.
- Pipe material and changes. Where clay turns to cast iron or plastic tells you which sections were already replaced and where the old joints start.
Tell us about the dig
(316) 869-0053Repair or replace: the options on the permit
MABCD's sewer permit application (form 77A) lists the kinds of sewer repair and replacement work it permits. They line up with the choices a contractor will offer, and the last column is the sewer excavation each one takes:
| Option | When it usually fits | What gets dug |
|---|---|---|
| Repair at one location (spot repair) | One broken joint, one root intrusion point, or a short crushed section; the rest of the line looks sound on camera | One pit over the bad spot |
| Partial replacement | A run of bad pipe, often the section under the yard, while the rest is serviceable | A trench along that run |
| Full replacement, open cut | The line is failing in several places, has a belly, or has collapsed | A trench from the building to the city main |
| Full replacement, pipe burst | The old line's route and slope are acceptable, but the pipe is shot, and you want to keep digging off the driveway or trees | A pit at each end |
| Install cleanout only | No outside access to the line for cameras and cleaning | One small dig near the house |
| Reroute with a new tap | The old route can't be reused; the old tap has to be sealed off on its own permit | A new trench and a new connection at the main |
A spot repair costs the least today, but on an old line with trouble in several places it can be the first of several digs. Ask to see the camera footage that justifies whichever option is quoted.
Roots and old clay pipe
Many older Wichita houses still drain through vitrified clay pipe laid in short sections with a joint every few feet. Each joint is a place for tree roots to find moisture and work in. Cutting or jetting the roots out clears the line for a while, but the joint is still open and the roots come back, so repeat backups in the same spot are usually the point where a repair or a replacement of that section beats paying for another cleaning. Newer plastic pipe has far fewer joints, which is a big part of why people replace a clay line instead of patching it again and again.
The permit, the fees and street cuts
In Wichita and unincorporated Sedgwick County the sewer permit is filed by a licensed sewer contractor with their license number. Form 77A lists a $60 permit fee, a $50 reinspection fee and a $150 investigation fee, and a separate permit and fee is required for each category of work, so a repair plus a new cleanout can be two permits. If the dig reaches the street, alley or a utility easement, a City of Wichita right-of-way permit comes on top of that, along with patching the pavement. Outside Wichita, some towns run their own permit offices; the before you dig in Sedgwick County checklist lists who to call.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Which option on the permit are you quoting, and what on the camera footage shows it's needed?
- Who pulls the sewer permit and any right-of-way permit, and are the fees in the price?
- How deep is the line where you'll dig, and will the trench need shoring at 5 feet or more?
- Does the price include a new outside cleanout, backfill and compaction, and putting the yard, sidewalk or driveway back?
- What's the warranty on the repair, and on the rest of the line you didn't replace?
The trenching side of a full replacement, and how sewer lines compare with water and conduit trenches, is covered on trenching and utility lines. For the price factors behind any dig, see what drives excavation cost. If the yard work around the line is bigger than the line itself, the overview of what an excavation contractor in Wichita handles shows which jobs one crew can take on together. Call the number on this page and tell us what the line is doing and where the house is.
Common questions
How do I know if I need a sewer line repair or a full replacement?
A camera inspection through a cleanout usually answers it. One bad joint or root spot on an otherwise sound line can often be repaired in a single pit; a line with trouble in several places, a sag, or a collapse usually gets replaced.
Does the City of Wichita fix my sewer line?
The city maintains the public main. The private line from the house to the main is generally the owner's to repair. If you think the main is backed up, the city lists (316) 262-6000 for sewer stoppages.
What should I get from a sewer camera inspection?
The video itself, with the distance from the cleanout shown on screen for every problem, the depth at each problem spot from the locator, and a run all the way to the city main, or a note on why the camera stopped short. That lets a second contractor check the diagnosis before you pay for a dig.
What does a sewer permit cost in Wichita?
MABCD form 77A lists a $60 permit fee, a $50 reinspection fee and a $150 investigation fee, with a separate permit for each category of work. A street cut also needs a City of Wichita right-of-way permit.