Sewage overflowing from a manhole or the street?
That’s the City’s main. Dallas Water Utilities handles clogged or overflowing wastewater mains around the clock: call 3-1-1, or 214-670-3111 from outside Dallas. If the backup is only in your house, the problem is usually in your own lateral. Stop running water and call us at (682) 284-0966.
Nearly half of the homes in Dallas (48%) were built before 1980, and the median home dates from 1981. A lateral that’s never been replaced is as old as the house it serves. In the older close-in neighborhoods, that can mean pipe that went into the ground before World War II.
Not sure it’s the main line? Read when hydro jetting makes sense. Every Staggs service in the city is on our Dallas service area page.
Dallas homes and the laterals under them
The Census (American Community Survey 2020–2024) counts about 590,000 housing units in Dallas, and 41.3% are detached single-family homes. Each of those has its own building lateral running from the house to the property line, and Dallas makes that run the owner’s to maintain.
Dallas sewer laterals by era
Close-in neighborhoods
About 9.6% of homes, in areas like the M Streets and Lakewood. Laterals this old may be clay tile or cast iron, and any that are original have been in the ground for 75 years or more.
Postwar Dallas
About 24% of homes. Joints on lines this age are where roots get in, especially under mature shade trees.
North and Far North Dallas
About 31% of homes, much of it north toward LBJ and beyond. These laterals are 35 to 55 years old in clay soil that moves with every drought and wet spell.
Infill and rebuilds
About 36% of homes, including new houses on old lots. A new house can still be tied to an older lateral or tap, so we camera before we assume.
Where your part of the Dallas sewer ends
Dallas City Code §49-24 sets out who maintains what on a sewer connection:
- The City’s part: the wastewater service connection from the main to the property line, plus the main itself.
- Your part: the building lateral from the property line to the house, and all the plumbing inside.
- Main problems go to Dallas Water Utilities: clogged or overflowing wastewater mains are reported 24 hours a day through 3-1-1.
- Sewer leaks aren’t adjusted. DWU’s leak adjustment program covers water leaks only. It doesn’t apply to wastewater or sewer leaks.
Signs your Dallas lateral is the problem
- Only your house is backing up, and the neighbors are fine.
- The lowest drain floods first, usually a tub or shower, when a toilet is flushed.
- Gurgling from toilets or drains while the washer empties.
- The same clog comes back a few weeks after it was cleared.
- Soggy ground or odor along the path from the house to the street or alley.
How we repair a Dallas sewer line
Clear the stoppage
We open the line from the cleanout and get it flowing so the house is usable.
Camera the lateral
We run a camera to the City connection, record it and mark any break, belly or root mass from the surface.
Show you the video
You see what we saw and get upfront written pricing before any work starts.
Permit and inspection
When the repair needs a permit, our registered master plumber pulls it in DallasNow and schedules the City inspection.
Dallas permits for sewer work
How the City of Dallas handles it
- Where: plumbing permits are issued through DallasNow, the City’s online permitting system.
- Who can pull one: a qualifying homeowner, or a plumbing contractor with a Texas Responsible Master Plumber license who is registered with the City of Dallas.
- Questions: Planning & Development, 320 E. Jefferson Blvd., (214) 948-4480.
- The City’s side: work on the connection between the main and the property line belongs to Dallas Water Utilities.
As Dallas requires, Staggs Plumbing is registered with the City of Dallas, and our master plumber pulls the permit.
Dallas clay and old pipe joints
Dallas sits on Blackland Prairie clay. The USDA describes Houston Black, the region’s best-known soil, as clay that shrinks and swells markedly as it wets and dries. Over decades that movement opens joints, lets roots in and leaves low spots where waste settles.
What we find in Dallas sewer laterals
| Problem | Usual fix | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roots at the joints | Clear, camera, then repair or replace the section | Most common under mature trees in older neighborhoods |
| Belly holding waste | Replace the sagging run with proper slope | Clay movement is the usual cause |
| Cracked or collapsed older pipe | Replace the damaged run | Clay tile and cast iron both age out |
| Grease and wipes | Clear and flush | The leading cause in newer homes |
| Backup from the main | Report to DWU through 3-1-1 | If neighbors back up too, it’s likely the main |
Sewer backup in Dallas? Start here.
In this order:
- Stop using water in the house.
- Check outside and with neighbors. Sewage in the street, alley or a manhole, or several houses backing up, points to the City main. Call 3-1-1.
- Find your cleanout and see whether it’s holding water.
- Keep people and pets away from any sewage that’s come up indoors.
- Call (682) 284-0966. We clear the line, camera it and put the price in writing before any work starts.
Dallas neighborhoods we serve
We clear and repair sewer lines across our Dallas service area, including ZIP codes 75204, 75206, 75225, 75229, 75230, 75240 and 75248: Uptown, Lower Greenville, Lakewood, the M Streets, Preston Hollow, North Dallas and Far North Dallas.
Our Plano headquarters is a short drive north up the Tollway or US 75.
Dallas sewer line questions
Who is responsible for the sewer line in Dallas?
Under Dallas City Code §49-24, the City maintains the wastewater service connection from the main to the property line. The building lateral from the property line to the house is private, so its repair is the owner’s.
Who do I call about a sewer main backup in Dallas?
Report a clogged or overflowing wastewater main to Dallas Water Utilities through 3-1-1. From outside the city, dial 214-670-3111. It’s a 24-hour line.
Does Dallas adjust my bill for a sewer leak?
No. DWU’s leak adjustment program is for water leaks and does not apply to wastewater or sewer leaks.
Who can pull a plumbing permit in Dallas?
A qualifying homeowner, or a plumbing contractor with a Texas Responsible Master Plumber license who is registered with the City of Dallas. Permits are handled through DallasNow.
How do you price a Dallas sewer repair?
You see the camera video first, then get upfront written pricing before any work starts. Financing is available.
