Who to contact next

The expensive part of a sewer problem is often not the repair. It is the fortnight spent being passed between a contractor who says it is the city’s, a city that says it is yours, and an insurer who wants something in writing from somebody.

This organises what each of them actually said, shows where the accounts differ, and suggests which conversation is worth having next — without deciding anything it is in no position to decide.

What this page cannot establish

this does not determine who is responsible, and cannot
a party saying the problem is not theirs is a statement they made, not a determination
this does not establish that your insurance responds or that a municipality must act
this does not diagnose your sewer or confirm where a blockage is
where two accounts differ, this does not establish which one is right
SewerOwner has verified none of what you record here

What this does

When a sewer problem crosses the boundary between your property, the public system, a contractor, a utility, an insurer, and a local authority, this helps you organise what is known, understand who may control the next decision, and prepare for the right conversation.

This does not determine who is responsible. Responsibility depends on local rules, the system serving your address, your property documents, where the problem actually is, and what caused it — none of which SewerOwner knows.
This does not diagnose your sewer, confirm where a blockage is, or establish that any repair is needed.
A party saying the problem is not theirs is a statement they made. It is not a determination, and it is not proof.
Nothing here establishes that your insurance responds, that a municipality must act, or that any contractor is right or wrong.
SewerOwner has not inspected your property and has verified none of what you recorded here.

Nothing is saved yet. Anything you record stays in this browser only — SewerOwner does not receive it.

Is any of this true right now?

These change what is worth doing first. Tick only what you can actually see.

Urgent conditions

Wastewater is coming into a space people usePeople or animals cannot avoid the affected areaIt affects the only way in or outThere is electrical equipment in the affected areaIt is reaching the street or a public area

Who have you already contacted?

Roles only. Do not record who they were — this tool never needs a company or a person, and what they said is recorded as something they said, not as a finding.

What has anyone reported?

Each entry records what somebody said, attributed to their role. SewerOwner has not verified any of it and cannot tell you which account is right.

What have you actually got?

This records what kind of thing each item is, and — separately — whether you have seen it yourself or were told it exists. Those two facts never get merged here, because “the plumber said the city owns it” is your account of what a plumber said, and it stays that whatever else is recorded about it.

Recording a piece of evidence does not verify it. SewerOwner has not seen any of it and cannot check any of it.
An account of what somebody said stays an account of what they said, however reliable that person is.
Evidence can make a question answerable by the right person. It does not answer the question here.
Nothing recorded here establishes ownership, legal responsibility, a cause, insurance coverage, or code compliance.

Add something you have, or have been told about

What kind of thing is it?

Your own account of what happened, what you saw, or what somebody told you.

Most often over-read as: Repeating what somebody told you does not turn their statement into their record. It stays your account of what they said.

Who does it come from?

A role, never a name. Keep names on your own paperwork.

How did it reach you?

Have you seen the actual record?

If you have not seen it, this stays an account of a record rather than the record itself — including on anything you print.

Do you know when it is from?

Which part of the system is it about?

What does it do to the question?

How certain did the source say they were?

Their certainty, not yours and not ours.

What actually decides this, and where each one stands

These are the things that bear on who deals with a length of sewer. Most of them are answered by a document somebody else holds. Marking where each one stands shows you what is genuinely known and what is still assumption.

These are the things that bear on the question. Resolving them tells you what is actually known — it does not produce an answer about who is responsible, and SewerOwner never produces one.
There is no scoring here. Factors are not counted, weighted, or added up, because a total would imply a conclusion that no amount of factor-gathering can support.
Any of these can be answered and the responsibility question still be genuinely unsettled. That is a normal outcome, not a failure of the process.
Only the people and documents named alongside each factor can answer it. This page can tell you what to ask and who to ask.

Where things physically are

Where the problem physically isNot looked at yet

The actual position along the line of whatever is causing trouble, as distinct from where the symptom appears.

Where does "Where the problem physically is" stand?

What it can clarify: which segment of the system the conversation is about
whether two people describing the problem mean the same place
which further checks would be worth doing
Who may hold it: A sewer and drain contractor; A licensed plumber; An independent inspector or engineer
What to ask: How far along the line is it, and measured from where?
Was the line located from the surface, so the distance can be placed on the ground?
How confident are you about the position, and what would make it certain?
What it still does not settle: Knowing where something is does not establish who has to deal with it. Position and responsibility are answered by different sources.
What must never be concluded from it: that the party nearest the location is responsible
that a location on private ground means the owner must pay
that a location under the street means a public body must attend

What an inspection actually coveredNot looked at yet

How much of the line was examined, from where, and what was left unexamined.

Where does "What an inspection actually covered" stand?

What it can clarify: which lengths have been looked at and which have not
what a recorded distance is measured from
whether a further inspection would add anything
Who may hold it: A sewer and drain contractor; An independent inspector or engineer
What to ask: Where did the camera enter, how far did it travel, and where did it stop?
Why did it stop there?
Which parts of the system were not examined at all?
What it still does not settle: Scope describes coverage. A length that was covered and looked acceptable may still be relevant, and a length never reached is simply unknown.
What must never be concluded from it: that an unexamined length is sound
that an unexamined length is defective
that an inspection which stopped early found a defect at that point

What a contractor reported findingNot looked at yet

The observation a trade professional made, as distinct from what they concluded from it.

Where does "What a contractor reported finding" stand?

What it can clarify: what an experienced person saw on site
what they were unable to check
which next step they think would answer the open question
Who may hold it: A sewer and drain contractor; A licensed plumber; An independent inspector or engineer
What to ask: Which part of that is what you observed, and which is what you infer from it?
Would you put the observation in writing?
What else could produce what you saw?
What it still does not settle: A contractor observation is evidence about pipe. It is not a determination of legal or utility responsibility, and SewerOwner has not verified it.
What must never be concluded from it: that a contractor’s view of ownership settles ownership
that an observation is a diagnosis
that a proposed repair is required

Boundaries and rights over land

Where the property boundary runsNot looked at yet

The recorded edge of the land you own.

Where does "Where the property boundary runs" stand?

What it can clarify: whether a located point falls on your land or beyond it
which permissions might be needed to reach a point
who else may need to be part of the conversation
Who may hold it: A legal adviser; The building or permitting department
What to ask: Is there a survey or plot plan showing the boundary?
Has the pipe route ever been tied to the boundary on a drawing?
What is the recorded boundary, as opposed to the fence line?
What it still does not settle: A boundary is about land. Maintenance points are set by the operating body and are often somewhere else entirely.
What must never be concluded from it: that responsibility changes at the boundary
that the boundary is where the maintenance point is
that a fence, kerb, or hedge marks the recorded line

Where the public right-of-way beginsNot looked at yet

The strip of land, often wider than the paved road, over which the public has rights and within which utilities usually sit.

Where does "Where the public right-of-way begins" stand?

What it can clarify: whether a point sits within land the public authority controls
what approvals digging at that point would need
who has to be notified before work happens
Who may hold it: The building or permitting department; The body that operates your sewer system; A legal adviser
What to ask: Where does the right-of-way start relative to my boundary?
What permit would work within it require, and who issues it?
Does the right-of-way edge have any bearing on your maintenance rule?
What it still does not settle: Being inside the right-of-way affects permissions and access. It does not by itself change who maintains a pipe there.
What must never be concluded from it: that a public body maintains everything inside the right-of-way
that the right-of-way edge is the maintenance point
that the paved edge marks the right-of-way

Any easement over the landNot looked at yet

A recorded right allowing somebody to run something across, or come onto, land they do not own.

Where does "Any easement over the land" stand?

What it can clarify: that a pipe crossing land was contemplated and recorded
who holds a right of access, and for what
whether an obligation to maintain was recorded alongside the right
Who may hold it: A legal adviser; The building or permitting department; The neighbouring property owner
What to ask: Is there a recorded easement affecting this land, and may I have a copy?
Does it say anything about maintaining what it covers?
Who holds the benefit of it?
What it still does not settle: An easement grants rights. Many say nothing at all about who maintains what passes through, and silence is common.
What must never be concluded from it: that the holder of an easement maintains what runs in it
that an easement’s existence resolves a dispute
that a pipe runs where an easement is drawn

How the system is defined

Where the operating body defines its maintenance pointNot looked at yet

The place the body running the system says its own maintenance begins and ends.

Where does "Where the operating body defines its maintenance point" stand?

What it can clarify: what the operating body undertakes to attend to
what it expects a property owner to arrange
which questions belong to it and which do not
Who may hold it: The body that operates your sewer system
What to ask: Where do your published rules place the maintenance point for this address?
Which document and section says so, and may I have a copy?
Does that point differ anywhere on this street, and why?
What it still does not settle: A maintenance point describes what one body does. It does not decide legal liability, and another body may describe the same pipe differently.
What must never be concluded from it: that everything on one side of the point belongs to the property owner
that everything on the other side is the operating body’s to repair
that a general rule applies to your address without being confirmed

Whether there is a cleanout, and whereNot looked at yet

An access fitting on the line, which some systems use as their maintenance marker and others do not.

Where does "Whether there is a cleanout, and where" stand?

What it can clarify: where the line can be entered for inspection or clearing
what a recorded distance in a report is measured from
whether the operating body treats that fitting as significant
Who may hold it: A sewer and drain contractor; The body that operates your sewer system; A licensed plumber
What to ask: Is there a cleanout, and where is it?
Did you access the line from it, and in which direction did you travel?
Does your rule treat the cleanout as the maintenance point?
What it still does not settle: Plenty of properties have no cleanout, and its absence is not a defect. Its presence is not an adoption.
What must never be concluded from it: that the cleanout marks a boundary of responsibility
that a missing cleanout means work is required
that the operating body maintains it because it is near the street

Where the service line joins the wider systemNot looked at yet

The physical junction between the pipe serving the property and the pipe serving everybody.

Where does "Where the service line joins the wider system" stand?

What it can clarify: the far end of the length that serves this property alone
whether an inspection ever reached that far
which body has a record of the connection being made
Who may hold it: The body that operates your sewer system; A sewer and drain contractor; The building or permitting department
What to ask: Do you hold a record of when and how this property was connected?
Did the camera reach the connection, and if not where did it stop?
Is the connection a wye, a saddle, or something else, and does that matter here?
What it still does not settle: The connection is a physical place. Where responsibility changes is a definitional question and need not be at the same place.
What must never be concluded from it: that responsibility changes at the connection
that the connection is the cause of anything
that a camera stopping short means the connection is defective

Whether the system is public or privateNot looked at yet

Whether the pipe your line discharges into is operated by a municipality, a utility, a private operator, or an association.

Where does "Whether the system is public or private" stand?

What it can clarify: which body to approach at all
which rules and complaint routes apply
whether a regulator exists for the system
Who may hold it: The body that operates your sewer system; Your association or shared-ownership body; The building or permitting department
What to ask: Who operates the system serving this address?
Is this street’s sewer adopted, or is it private?
If it is private, who holds the permit and who regulates it?
What it still does not settle: A pipe under a public street is not necessarily public, and a pipe on private ground is not necessarily private. Adoption records answer this, appearances do not.
What must never be concluded from it: that a municipality is involved because the pipe is under a road
that a private system is unregulated
that classification decides who pays

Who occupies and who governs

Whether the line is shared with other propertiesNot looked at yet

Whether more than one property discharges into the same length of pipe before it reaches the wider system.

Where does "Whether the line is shared with other properties" stand?

What it can clarify: who else may be affected, and who else may hold records
whether an arrangement was ever recorded between the properties
which tests would establish what actually connects where
Who may hold it: The neighbouring property owner; A legal adviser; The body that operates your sewer system
What to ask: How was it established that the line is shared, rather than assumed?
Where does each property join it?
Has anything been agreed or recorded between us before?
What it still does not settle: Establishing that a line is shared says nothing about how anything is to be divided. That comes from recorded documents and local law.
What must never be concluded from it: that costs are shared, or shared equally
that a neighbour must contribute
that the property nearest the blockage caused it

Who owns the buildingNot looked at yet

Whether the person experiencing the problem is the owner, and if not, who is.

Where does "Who owns the building" stand?

What it can clarify: who is able to authorise work at all
who documents would have been issued to
which route a report has to travel
Who may hold it: Your landlord or property manager; A legal adviser
What to ask: Who is the registered owner, and who manages the property day to day?
Who is able to instruct a contractor here?
Who would receive a notice about this property?
What it still does not settle: Ownership of a building and responsibility for a length of drainage are separate questions, and leases routinely separate them.
What must never be concluded from it: that the owner must arrange or pay for work
that an occupier has no obligations
that whoever pays a bill has accepted responsibility

How the tenancy allocates drainageNot looked at yet

What the lease or tenancy agreement says about who deals with drains and who deals with blockages.

Where does "How the tenancy allocates drainage" stand?

What it can clarify: what the document allocates to each party
what has to be reported, to whom, and how quickly
what the document says about access and about costs
Who may hold it: Your landlord or property manager; A legal adviser
What to ask: Which clause of the tenancy are you relying on?
What does the agreement require me to do, and by when?
Is there a difference between a blockage and a defect under this agreement?
What it still does not settle: Tenancy law in many places overrides what an agreement says. A clause is a starting point rather than an answer.
What must never be concluded from it: that the landlord must arrange or pay for work
that the tenant must
that a clause is enforceable as written

The condominium or co-operative declarationNot looked at yet

The founding document defining which parts of a multi-unit building belong to a unit and which are common.

Where does "The condominium or co-operative declaration" stand?

What it can clarify: how the document divides unit from common
what process applies to raising a maintenance matter
how the building’s insurance is arranged
Who may hold it: Your association or shared-ownership body; Your landlord or property manager; A legal adviser
What to ask: Which clause of the declaration or by-laws are you relying on?
Are there amendments, and may I have the current consolidated version?
How has the same issue been treated in other units?
What it still does not settle: Declarations describe categories rather than specific pipes, and applying a category to a particular defect is frequently arguable.
What must never be concluded from it: that the association must arrange or pay for work
that the unit owner must
that a description in a summary matches the recorded document

Rules and recorded documents

Homeowners association documentsNot looked at yet

The recorded covenants and rules of an association governing a development of separate homes.

Where does "Homeowners association documents" stand?

What it can clarify: what the association undertakes to maintain
what an owner is required to maintain
the route and timescale for raising something
Who may hold it: Your association or shared-ownership body; A legal adviser
What to ask: Which recorded document sets out what the association maintains?
Where does association piping start and stop relative to each home?
Who decides, and is there an appeal?
What it still does not settle: Association documents are amendable and are frequently described inaccurately in summaries. Only the current recorded version governs.
What must never be concluded from it: that the association must arrange or pay for work
that an owner must
that a past decision binds the association now

Private-community governing documentsNot looked at yet

The permit, licence, or instrument under which a privately operated community sewer runs.

Where does "Private-community governing documents" stand?

What it can clarify: who operates the system and on what terms
what the operator undertakes to do
whether a regulator oversees it
Who may hold it: The body that operates your sewer system; Your association or shared-ownership body; The building or permitting department
What to ask: Under what permit or licence does this system operate?
What are the published service terms?
Who regulates the operator, and how do I raise something with them?
What it still does not settle: A private operator’s terms govern its own conduct. They do not decide the legal position between residents.
What must never be concluded from it: that a municipality is involved
that the operator must arrange or pay for work
that private operation means no rules apply

The operating body’s service rulesNot looked at yet

The published terms on which a utility or municipality provides sewer service.

Where does "The operating body’s service rules" stand?

What it can clarify: what the body says it will attend to and when
what it requires of a property owner
how to make a report that gets recorded
Who may hold it: The body that operates your sewer system
What to ask: Where are your service rules published, and which version is current?
What will you check if I report this, and will I get the result in writing?
What reference will my report be given?
What it still does not settle: Published rules describe the general case. How they apply to one address is answered by a written response about that address.
What must never be concluded from it: that a rule read online applies unchanged to your property
that the body will attend
that a rule decides legal liability between parties

Municipal code or ordinanceNot looked at yet

Local law about sewers, connections, and what property owners must do.

Where does "Municipal code or ordinance" stand?

What it can clarify: what local law requires of an owner
what approvals work would need
which department administers what
Who may hold it: The building or permitting department; The body that operates your sewer system; A legal adviser
What to ask: Which section of the code applies to this, and may I have a copy?
Has it been amended recently?
Which department interprets it in practice?
What it still does not settle: Reading a code section is not the same as knowing how it is applied locally, and SewerOwner has no access to any jurisdiction’s code.
What must never be concluded from it: that any particular ordinance applies to your address
that compliance or non-compliance has been established
that a code section decides who pays for a repair

A recorded agreement affecting the propertyNot looked at yet

An instrument recorded against the land dealing with drainage, shared services, or maintenance.

Where does "A recorded agreement affecting the property" stand?

What it can clarify: that an arrangement was formalised and recorded
which properties it binds
what it says about maintenance and cost
Who may hold it: A legal adviser; The building or permitting department; The neighbouring property owner
What to ask: Is there anything recorded against the title dealing with drainage?
Does it bind successors, or only the original parties?
Has it been varied or released since?
What it still does not settle: A recorded document may be superseded, released, or unenforceable, and reading it is a task for somebody qualified to.
What must never be concluded from it: that a recorded agreement is currently in force
that it applies to this failure
that it decides the outcome

Construction and permit recordsNot looked at yet

Filed paperwork about how the drainage was built, connected, altered, or inspected.

Where does "Construction and permit records" stand?

What it can clarify: what was permitted, and when
the route or connection described at the time
that an alteration exists which nobody has mentioned
Who may hold it: The building or permitting department; The body that operates your sewer system
What to ask: What permits exist for this address, and may I have copies?
Is there a final inspection or as-built record?
What does the file not contain?
What it still does not settle: A permit shows what was approved. What was actually built, and what has happened since, are separate questions.
What must never be concluded from it: that the work matches the drawing
that unpermitted work has occurred
that the record establishes current condition

Title and closing recordsNot looked at yet

The paperwork from a purchase or sale, including disclosures, inspection reports, and recorded instruments.

Where does "Title and closing records" stand?

What it can clarify: what was disclosed about drainage at the time
what an inspection at the time recorded
which instruments were recorded against the property
Who may hold it: A legal adviser; An independent inspector or engineer
What to ask: What did the disclosure say about drainage or sewer service?
Was there a sewer inspection at the time, and is the footage available?
What was recorded against the title at closing?
What it still does not settle: What was disclosed is a fact about the disclosure. Whether it was accurate or complete is a separate matter, and one for a professional adviser.
What must never be concluded from it: that a seller failed to disclose something
that a disclosure creates a remedy
that a prior inspection describes current condition

What has happened before

Any arrangement made on a previous occasionNot looked at yet

What was agreed, informally or formally, the last time something similar happened.

Where does "Any arrangement made on a previous occasion" stand?

What it can clarify: what the parties did last time and why
whether an ongoing arrangement was intended
who has already attended, and what they found
Who may hold it: The neighbouring property owner; Your association or shared-ownership body; Your landlord or property manager; The body that operates your sewer system
What to ask: What was agreed last time, and is it written down anywhere?
Was it meant to apply again, or only to that occasion?
Who paid, and on what basis?
What it still does not settle: What happened before is a fact about before. Whether it creates any expectation now is a legal question.
What must never be concluded from it: that a party who attended before must attend again
that paying once was an admission
that a past arrangement binds anyone now

What caused the failureNot looked at yet

Why the pipe stopped working as intended — roots, a break, a blockage, settlement, an external event, or something else.

Where does "What caused the failure" stand?

What it can clarify: which further evidence would tell the possibilities apart
whether a third party or an event may be involved
which questions an insurer or authority will ask
Who may hold it: A sewer and drain contractor; An independent inspector or engineer; Your insurer
What to ask: What are the possible causes, and what would tell them apart?
What did you actually see that points to that cause?
Could more than one thing be going on at once?
What it still does not settle: Cause is frequently contested and frequently unresolvable after the fact. SewerOwner does not diagnose it and cannot.
What must never be concluded from it: that a cause has been established
that a cause determines who pays
that the party who last worked on the line caused the failure

The maintenance history of the lineNot looked at yet

What has been done to the line before, by whom, and how often.

Where does "The maintenance history of the line" stand?

What it can clarify: whether this has happened before, and how often
what was found on previous occasions
whether previous attention resolved anything
Who may hold it: A licensed plumber; A sewer and drain contractor; Your landlord or property manager
What to ask: What records exist of previous work on this line?
What was found each time, as opposed to what was done?
How long between occurrences?
What it still does not settle: A history of clearing tells you a symptom recurred. It does not establish why, and repeated clearing is not evidence of any particular defect.
What must never be concluded from it: that recurrence proves a structural defect
that previous work was inadequate
that a party who cleared it before is responsible now

Alterations to the property or the lineNot looked at yet

Extensions, re-routing, new connections, landscaping, or paving that changed what was there before.

Where does "Alterations to the property or the line" stand?

What it can clarify: whether the line runs where records suggest
whether a connection was added or moved
what may sit above the line now
Who may hold it: The building or permitting department; A sewer and drain contractor; Your landlord or property manager
What to ask: Has anything been built, dug, or re-routed since the line was laid?
Were permits taken out, and is there an as-built record?
Does anything sit over the line now?
What it still does not settle: Knowing an alteration happened does not establish that it caused anything, and unrecorded alterations are extremely common.
What must never be concluded from it: that an alteration caused the failure
that unpermitted work has occurred
that whoever altered it is responsible

Excavation or damage by somebody elseNot looked at yet

Digging, boring, or heavy work by a utility, contractor, or neighbour near the line.

Where does "Excavation or damage by somebody else" stand?

What it can clarify: that work took place near the line, and when
who carried it out and under whose instruction
whether locate marks or notices exist
Who may hold it: The utility-locating service; The body that operates your sewer system; The building or permitting department; The neighbouring property owner
What to ask: Has anyone dug or bored near the line recently?
Were locate marks put down, and does a locate ticket exist?
Which body permitted that work?
What it still does not settle: Work happening nearby is not evidence that it caused anything. Establishing damage by a third party is a specialist matter.
What must never be concluded from it: that a third party damaged the line
that timing establishes causation
that a party who dug nearby is liable

What was done to limit the immediate problemNot looked at yet

Steps already taken to stop or contain what was happening, and by whom.

Where does "What was done to limit the immediate problem" stand?

What it can clarify: what has already been done, and when
what evidence may have been altered or removed in the process
what an insurer or authority will want recorded
Who may hold it: A licensed plumber; A sewer and drain contractor; Your insurer
What to ask: What was done, by whom, and is there an invoice or note?
Was anything photographed before it was cleared up?
Does anything need to be preserved before further work?
What it still does not settle: Acting quickly is usually right and frequently destroys the evidence about what happened. Both things are true at once.
What must never be concluded from it: that mitigation costs will be reimbursed
that acting quickly has prejudiced anything
that whoever attended has accepted responsibility

Cover and financial arrangements

The insurance policy and its endorsementsNot looked at yet

The written terms of the property policy and anything added to it.

Where does "The insurance policy and its endorsements" stand?

What it can clarify: what the wording says about drainage, backup, and damage
what it requires you to do and by when
which questions to put to the insurer
Who may hold it: Your insurer
What to ask: May I have the full policy wording and any endorsements that apply?
What do you need from me before you can answer?
Is there anything I must do now to avoid prejudicing a claim?
What it still does not settle: Only the insurer applies the policy to the facts. Reading the wording is not the same as knowing the outcome.
What must never be concluded from it: that this loss is covered
that this loss is excluded
that a summary or renewal letter states the terms

Service-line or protection-programme coverNot looked at yet

A separate product, often sold through a utility bill, covering repairs to a buried service line.

Where does "Service-line or protection-programme cover" stand?

What it can clarify: what lengths of pipe the product describes itself as covering
what process it requires, including which contractor may attend
what limits and waiting periods apply
Who may hold it: Your insurer; The body that operates your sewer system
What to ask: Do I hold any service-line product, and through whom?
What lengths does the wording cover, and where does it stop?
Must I use a nominated contractor, and what happens if I do not?
What it still does not settle: These products are contracts with their own terms and are not the property insurance policy. Holding one does not establish that a repair falls within it.
What must never be concluded from it: that a repair is covered by such a product
that holding cover establishes who owns the pipe
that the utility that billed for it will administer a claim

Where accounts disagree

Where accounts disagree with each otherNot looked at yet

Two or more sources describing the same situation differently, with nothing yet resolving which description is right.

Where does "Where accounts disagree with each other" stand?

What it can clarify: exactly what is in dispute, stated precisely
what evidence would resolve it
who is able to resolve it
Who may hold it: An independent inspector or engineer; The body that operates your sewer system; A legal adviser
What to ask: Two people have told me different things about this. What would settle it?
Would you put your position in writing so I can put it to the other party?
Is there an independent way to check this?
What it still does not settle: Recording a disagreement identifies it. It does not resolve it, and SewerOwner takes no view on which account is correct.
What must never be concluded from it: that one account is wrong
that the more recent account is the better one
that a professional account outranks a documentary one

What is still unresolved?

Add an open question

Do not enter names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, or reference numbers. Keep those on your own paperwork — this field will refuse them. 240 characters.

Who may be able to clarify what

These are roles, not companies. Each shows what they may be able to clarify and — just as importantly — what they cannot settle on their own.

Emergency servicesNot indicated by what you have recorded

Cannot establish on their own

anything about your sewer line
who is responsible for the problem
whether the condition is a health hazard

SewerOwner does not provide emergency response and holds no emergency number for your area. Use the number you would use for any emergency where you live.

/symptoms/active-backup/

The body that operates your sewer systemNot contacted yet

May be able to clarify

which body operates the system serving your address
how its own published rules describe where an owner’s responsibility starts and stops
whether it holds a connection record or map for your property
whether other reports have been made nearby
what it asks an owner to do before assuming the problem is on their side

Cannot establish on their own

the condition of the pipe on your property
what is causing the problem
what any other party is responsible for
what your insurance policy covers

What this body tells you describes its own system and its own rules. It does not settle what is on your side, and a verbal answer is not the same as the published rule.

/responsibility//responsibility/responsibility-varies//preparing/municipal-call/

A licensed plumberNot contacted yet

May be able to clarify

whether the problem is confined to one fixture or affects the building drain
whether the building’s internal plumbing is involved
what they observed, and where

Cannot establish on their own

the condition of the buried line without an inspection of it
where the boundary of your responsibility falls
what the public side of the system is doing

A plumber describes what they observed. That is evidence, not a determination of responsibility or of what lies beyond where they worked.

/symptoms/single-slow-fixture//sewer-system/how-drainage-works/

A sewer and drain contractorNot contacted yet

May be able to clarify

what a camera inspection shows, and how much of the line it reached
where along the line something was observed
whether the line can be cleared, and what happened when it was

Cannot establish on their own

who is responsible for the section where something was found
what the public side of the system is doing
whether your insurance responds
the condition of any section the camera did not reach

A contractor’s finding is what they reported observing. SewerOwner has not verified it, and an observation is not a determination of responsibility.

/inspections/what-a-camera-can-and-cannot-show//preparing/contractor-visit/

Your landlord or property managerNot indicated by what you have recorded

May be able to clarify

what the tenancy or management agreement says about drainage and repairs
what work has been done to the property previously
who they instruct for this kind of problem

Cannot establish on their own

the condition of the line
where responsibility falls between the property and the public system

What an agreement says about who arranges a repair is a separate question from where the physical responsibility boundary falls.

/records/organizing-prior-work/

Your association or shared-ownership bodyNot indicated by what you have recorded

May be able to clarify

what the governing documents say about shared drainage
whether the affected section is a shared part
what records the association holds

Cannot establish on their own

the physical condition of the line
what the public system operator is responsible for

Governing documents describe an arrangement between owners. They do not describe where the public system operator’s responsibility begins.

/sewer-system/shared-laterals//responsibility/shared-responsibility/

Your insurerNot indicated by what you have recorded

May be able to clarify

what your policy says about this kind of event
what documentation they need in order to consider it
whether they require anything before further work happens

Cannot establish on their own

what caused the problem
who is responsible for the line
whether a repair is necessary

Whether a policy responds depends on its actual terms and on facts nobody has established yet. SewerOwner cannot read your policy and does not know what it covers.

/insurance-programs/insurance-questions//insurance-programs/

The building or permitting departmentNot indicated by what you have recorded

May be able to clarify

whether the proposed work requires a permit here
who applies for it, and what inspection follows
whether a permit exists on the property already

Cannot establish on their own

the condition of the line
whether any particular scope of work is appropriate
who pays

A permit records that work was approved and inspected against a scope. It does not establish that the work was performed well, or that the scope was the right one.

/responsibility/permits-and-inspections//records/permit-closeout/

The utility-locating serviceNot indicated by what you have recorded

May be able to clarify

where other buried services run across the work area

Cannot establish on their own

where your sewer line runs — private lines are frequently not marked
the condition of anything buried

Locating marks show what was marked. A private sewer line is often outside the scope, and an unmarked area is not an empty one.

/responsibility/finding-official-records/

An independent inspector or engineerNot indicated by what you have recorded

May be able to clarify

what an independent inspection shows
whether two conflicting reports can be reconciled
what evidence would settle a disputed point

Cannot establish on their own

who is legally responsible
what your insurance covers
what the public system operator will do

An independent inspection produces another observation, better documented. It does not by itself establish that an earlier report was wrong.

/inspections//inspections/evidence-provenance/

The neighbouring property ownerNot indicated by what you have recorded

May be able to clarify

whether they are experiencing the same thing
what they have been told by anyone who attended
whether they hold records for a shared line

Cannot establish on their own

where responsibility falls on a shared line
the condition of any part of the system

A shared line raises questions between owners that documents and local rules decide, not a conversation. Keep it a comparison of observations.

/sewer-system/shared-laterals//responsibility/shared-responsibility/

A legal adviserNot indicated by what you have recorded

May be able to clarify

what your position is under local law and your own documents
what a written denial does and does not mean

Cannot establish on their own

the physical condition of the line
what any inspection would show

SewerOwner does not give legal advice, does not know your position, and is not suggesting that you have a claim. This is listed as a route that exists, not one you should take.

/responsibility/disputed-responsibility/

Your next useful conversation

A sewer and drain contractor

What is unresolved: Nothing has established where the problem is, or nothing you hold says so in writing.

Why this role: A written finding with a location is what every later conversation — with an authority, an insurer, or a second contractor — has to refer back to.

Have ready

what you have observed, with dates
any previous clearing or repair, and roughly when
where your cleanout is, if you know
what anyone else has already reported

Ask

How much of the line did the camera travel, and where did it start and stop?
At what distance was each finding, and can you show me?
Was the line cleaned before the camera went in?
Can I have the recording and a written report?
What did you not see, and why?

What would change this

if you obtain the written finding from someone who has already attended
if the affected area changes

A contractor’s finding is what they reported observing. SewerOwner has not verified it, and an observation is not a determination of responsibility.

What your record is ready for

Ready for a conversation — nothing more than that. More than one of these can apply at the same time, and often does.

These describe how ready your record is for a particular conversation. They are not a measure of how strong your position is, and SewerOwner does not measure that.
There is no score, percentage, or grade here, and there will not be one. A single figure describing a responsibility record would be a claim about who is going to win, which nobody can make from a set of notes.
More than one of these can apply at once, and often does. They are not stages to pass through in order.
Reaching every one of these would still leave the responsibility question to be answered by the people and documents named alongside it.
Marking a segment as possibly involved records what you are considering. It does not establish where the problem is, who owns that pipe, who must maintain it, or who pays for work on it.

At the starting point

There is very little recorded yet. That is a normal place to be, and the useful next move is usually to write down what you have already been told.

Why this applies to your record

Nothing has been recorded yet beyond the situation itself

Still unanswered

No segment of the system has been marked as possibly involved, so there is nothing yet to focus a question on

Having little recorded says nothing about your situation. Plenty of straightforward problems start here and plenty of complicated ones do too.

The packet you can hand to somebody

Everything below prints. It is written to be read by the person you give it to, which is why it says plainly what it is not.

SewerOwner — responsibility record

Record format 2, packet format 1. Printed: Not yet printed.

Before you read any of it

This packet organises information a homeowner recorded. It does not determine who owns any pipe, who is responsible for it, or who should pay for work on it. SewerOwner makes no such determination and is not in a position to.
Terminology for sewer segments varies between systems, trades, and documents. Two people using the same words here may mean different lengths of pipe, and the operating body’s own definitions govern its system.
Where this packet records that something was reported, that is a record of the report and not of the underlying document. An account of what a record says is not the record.
Observations by a contractor, plumber, or inspector are observations about pipe. They do not determine legal responsibility, utility responsibility, or what any authority will decide.
Whether anything here is covered by insurance depends on the actual policy wording and on the insurer applying it to the facts. Nothing in this packet indicates that anything is covered or excluded.
If there is an immediate concern about safety, contamination, or access, that may need attention straight away rather than after further record-gathering. The homeowner is the person who can see the situation.
The homeowner is free to choose any contractor, to seek further opinions, and to decline any proposal. Nothing here recommends a company, a product, or a course of work.

The situation as recorded

How far along this is:: Not recorded
Where it is showing:: Not established
How well the source is understood:: Not recorded
Property arrangement:: Not recorded
What the homeowner is trying to get to:: Not decided
Other properties reported affected:: not_known
Public system reported as possibly involved:: not_known
Damage to the building reported:: not_known
Insurance question open:: not_known
Excavation proposed by somebody:: not_known

Suggested order of conversations

A sewer and drain contractor — A written finding with a location is what every later conversation — with an authority, an insurer, or a second contractor — has to refer back to.

What this record is ready for

At the starting point

There is very little recorded yet. That is a normal place to be, and the useful next move is usually to write down what you have already been told.

Having little recorded says nothing about your situation. Plenty of straightforward problems start here and plenty of complicated ones do too.

Limits of this packet

Everything in this packet was entered by the homeowner. SewerOwner has not seen, verified, or checked any of it.
Nothing here establishes ownership, legal responsibility, a cause, insurance coverage, or compliance with any code.
Where two accounts differ, this packet records the difference. It takes no view on which is correct.
A segment marked as possibly involved is a segment being considered. It is not a finding about where the problem is.
This packet is not a quotation, an estimate, a scope of work, or a commitment by anybody to do anything.

Moving this record between devices

This record lives in one browser. If you want it somewhere else, copy the text below and paste it in on the other device.

This reads one format only — a case file SewerOwner produced. It does not read documents, photographs, PDFs, spreadsheets, or email, and it never will: interpreting somebody’s paperwork is exactly the thing this tool must not do.
Nothing is uploaded. The text you paste is read in this browser, and no part of it is sent anywhere.
No address in a pasted file is opened or fetched, and nothing in it is treated as code.
Importing never fills in a contact form, never sends an inquiry, and never records anything about what the file contained.
Nothing is saved until you have read this summary and chosen what to do. Replacing is the default; combining is a separate, deliberate choice.

Copy this record out

Read a record in

Paste a SewerOwner case file

Only a case file this application produced. Nothing is saved until you have read the summary and chosen what to do.

SewerOwner has no inquiry destination configured, so there is nothing to attach this to and no consent to give. This summary exists so you can see exactly what would be offered for sharing if that ever changes.

incidentStage: not_recorded
affectedArea: not_established
activeNow: false
locationEstablished: false
writtenFindingHeld: false
unresolvedQuestionsRemain: true
contactCountBand: none
findingCountBand: none
differencesRecorded: false
nextContactRole: sewer-contractor

Never included

anything you typed into a note
which roles you contacted, and what they said
what any source reported, or where they said it was
whether any party accepted or denied responsibility
the differences the tool identified between accounts
the identifier of your saved record
any name, company, address, phone number, or email address
any claim, policy, permit, or reference number
any date
any price

This record on this device

What would change the answer

nothing to start — an empty record produces an honest answer
more useful once you record who you have spoken to and what they said
more useful again once you record which records you hold and which you have only been told about

What to do next

Once you know who the next conversation is with, the questions come from the gaps in your own record.

Build the questions to ask

If your situation is different

Nobody has looked at the line yet: Record what you have noticed first
You are holding conflicting inspection findings: Organise the findings themselves

Why it varies
Why nobody online can tell you whose pipe it is — the reasoning this step is built on.
Disputed responsibility
What to do when nobody will take the question.
Municipal call
Preparing the specific call to the body that operates the system.

What this page cannot establish

What this does

Who have you already contacted?

What has anyone reported?

Which part of the system might this be about?

What have you actually got?

What actually decides this, and where each one stands

Where things physically are

Boundaries and rights over land

How the system is defined

Who occupies and who governs

Rules and recorded documents

What has happened before

Cover and financial arrangements

Where accounts disagree

What is still unresolved?

Who may be able to clarify what

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

May be able to clarify

Cannot establish on their own

Your next useful conversation

A sewer and drain contractor

Have ready

Ask

What would change this

What your record is ready for

At the starting point

Why this applies to your record

Still unanswered

The packet you can hand to somebody

SewerOwner — responsibility record

Before you read any of it

The situation as recorded

Suggested order of conversations

What this record is ready for

At the starting point

Limits of this packet

Moving this record between devices

Copy this record out

Read a record in

What could be shared, if sharing existed

Never included

This record on this device

What would change the answer

What to do next

If your situation is different

Related, and why