Sewer Inspection in Martinez, CA
Martinez has two sanitary districts and a larger share of pre-1950 homes than any other city we serve most. We camera-inspect your lateral from end to end, give you a recorded video and a written report, and help you sort out which district's rules apply.
Central San or Mt. View? It Depends on Your Address
Martinez is split between sewer agencies. The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San) serves portions of Martinez. The Mt. View Sanitary District, formed in 1923, provides collection and treatment for the northeasterly portion of the city and adjacent unincorporated land to the northeast — about 4.7 square miles and roughly 21,000 residents.
Both put the lateral on the owner. Central San makes each owner responsible for the entire lateral, including the part beneath the sidewalk and street. Mt. View defines the lateral as starting about two feet outside the building and running to the main — including the fitting where it connects — and says the owner is responsible for all of its costs, from maintenance and repair to replacement. Mt. View splits it into an upper lateral (building to property line) and a lower lateral (property line to main); both are the owner's.
Both districts require a permit for lateral repair work. If you're not sure which district serves your property, confirm it before any work is scheduled.
- ✓Inspections in both Central San and Mt. View territory
- ✓Upper and lower lateral on camera, to the main
- ✓Recorded video and a written report
- ✓Pre-listing and in-escrow inspections
- ✓Owner on every job
Older Housing, From Downtown to Virginia Hills
U.S. Census estimates show about 14% of Martinez housing was built before 1950, and about 9% before 1940 — the largest share of pre-war homes among the cities we serve most. The rest spans every decade since: roughly a quarter of the city's homes date to the 1980s, and the median home was built in 1977.
A pre-war lateral has usually lived several lives. It may have been cleared, patched, extended or partly replaced by different owners over the decades. Central San notes that older laterals are typically vitrified clay. The camera shows what's really in the ground — including whether there's a mix of materials — and where one section meets the next.
We inspect throughout Martinez, from the older blocks around downtown to Virginia Hills and the neighborhoods built through the 1970s and 1980s.
How Our Inspections WorkIf Sewage Backs Up
Mt. View asks customers to notify the district of a sewer backup or overflow, 24 hours a day, at (925) 228-5635. If the problem is in your lateral rather than the public main, the lateral is yours to clear and repair.
Both districts push the same protection. Central San requires an overflow protection device on every structure connected to its sewer; Mt. View encourages one for every home and requires it on new construction. The device sits on the outside cleanout and lets a backup overflow in the yard instead of inside the house.
After a backup, a camera inspection tells you why it happened — roots, a break, a sag, or grease — so the fix addresses the cause and not just the clog.
Root Cuts & Line Cleaning
Sewer Services in Martinez, CA
Sewer Lateral Inspection
Upper and lower lateral on video, with a report you can give your agent or district.
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Hydrojetting
Scours grease and debris out of older Martinez lines and restores full flow.
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Cleanout Installation Referrals
No outside access point? We refer you to a trusted contractor to add the cleanout an older Martinez home may lack.
Learn MoreMartinez Sewer Questions, Answered
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