Sewer Line Repair in Kensington, MD

Who is responsible for which part of the line?

WSSC Water provides water and sewer in Kensington and owns the public mains under the streets. The lateral from your house to the WSSC connection is a private repair. WSSC issues plumbing and service connection permits (Permit Services 301-206-4003), and service line repairs must be done by a plumber registered with WSSC. If sewage is overflowing from a manhole or onto the street, call WSSC's emergency line at 301-206-4002 before anything else.

The Town of Kensington also has its own forms for home construction projects, so a larger excavation may need a Town step; call Town Hall at 301-949-2424 to check. The 20895 Kensington mailing area is much bigger than the town itself, and addresses outside the town limits deal only with WSSC and Montgomery County.

What usually fails in older Kensington lines?

Kensington grew from a summer retreat into a commuter suburb, and its southern core is a largely intact planned Victorian layout now listed as a historic district. Homes from that era, and from the 1950s when much of the rest was built, typically have clay or cast iron laterals. Clay joints loosen over time and let roots in; cast iron rusts, scales and eventually cracks along the bottom of the pipe where waste flows. A camera inspection shows which problem you have and how much of the line is affected.

• Drains throughout the house slow at the same time
• The basement floor drain fills during laundry or showers
• Roots come back every year or two after cutting
• A sewage smell in the basement

Can it be repaired without disturbing the yard?

Often. If the old pipe still holds its shape, a cured-in-place liner can seal cracks and joints from the inside through a cleanout and a small access point. Pipe bursting pulls a new pipe through the old path. A collapsed section, or one with a deep sag, usually means digging that stretch.

A local note

Many older Kensington lots have mature trees, porches and garden walls over the lateral. Ask for the camera footage and a locator mark on the ground so you can see where any digging would happen before you agree to a method.