Sewer Line Replacement in Greenbelt, MD

What happens when you call

You will be put in touch with an independent local plumber who works in Greenbelt. Most jobs start with a camera run from the cleanout to see the pipe material, where the defects are and whether the line still holds its slope. A locate marks the route and depth on the ground. From there the plumber can say whether lining, pipe bursting or an open trench fits, and how the permits and inspections will be sequenced.

In Greenbelt that sequencing has two parts. WSSC Water issues the plumbing permit and inspects the sewer work, which must be done by a plumber holding a WSSC license. The City of Greenbelt also requires its own permit for projects that need a Prince George's County building permit (City permits: 301-345-5417). Ask the plumber which applies to your job, and expect both to be settled before the trench is covered.

What moves the cost

• The length and depth of the run
• Trenchless versus digging, which depends on the pipe's condition
• Walks, steps, retaining walls or trees along the route
• Shared lines in townhouse or cooperative buildings, which can widen the job
• WSSC and any City permits and inspections

Greenbelt's conditions

Greenbelt was planned in the 1930s as the first and largest of the New Deal Greenbelt Towns, and Old Greenbelt is now a National Historic Landmark District. Later neighborhoods such as Greenbelt East and Springhill Lake were added over the following decades, and the city's median home is from 1976. Original drain lines from those eras can be clay or cast iron, which crack and let roots in, and the city's wooded setting means roots have plenty of chances. WSSC Water's 24-hour Emergency Service Center (301-206-4002) takes sewer emergencies in the public system, as the City's own water emergency page notes.

Before the plumber arrives

• Stop running water if anything is backing up
• Clear a path to the cleanout and the basement or crawlspace
• Find any old receipts or videos from earlier sewer work
• If you live in a co-op or townhouse, check your association documents for who owns the line
• Note sprinklers, lighting or pet fencing buried in the yard