Rainy Season Is Coming—And Your Private Sewer Lateral Tells No Lies
Every year when the first big rain hits, something magical happens in our sewer systems—and by “magical,” I mean chaotic and extremely expensive. Stormwater starts rushing in, groundwater rises, and suddenly every tiny crack in every private sewer lateral across town decides to become a superhighway straight into the public sewer system.
And that’s the thing most people don’t realize: it’s the little pipes—the private sewer laterals (PSLs)—that cause the big headaches.
They’re old, they’re tired, they’ve been quietly suffering through decades of roots, shifting soil, and “just bury it and hope” construction from the 1960s.
During dry months, these defects are out of sight, out of mind. But add rain?
Boom! I&I. Inflow and infiltration. The sewer world’s version of “Who left the window open during a storm?”
Why Cities Freak Out (And Why Lawyers Get Excited)
Here’s where it gets interesting: under the Clean Water Act, cities are legally on the hook for preventing sewer overflows—even though the problems often start on private property. Imagine being responsible for fixing your neighbor’s leaky roof because the water dripped onto your lawn. That’s basically the municipal situation.
Because of this mismatch, cities often end up in legal battles with environmental NGOs. And trust me, these cases don’t end with a handshake. They end with something called a consent decree, which is basically the government saying:
“Okay city, you didn’t want to run a PSL program before?
Well, congratulations—you’re running one now. And it’s happening by court order.”
Suddenly the city has to inspect laterals, track conditions, enforce repairs, document everything, and make sure the whole program holds up under regulatory scrutiny.
There’s another way.
The Easier, Saner Alternative
Instead of waiting for lawyers and judges to show up with a binder the size of a phone book, cities can do something way easier: start proactive inspection cycles.
A modern PSL program—especially one that’s cloud-based and simple for both cities and property owners—does a few magical things before the rainy season turns your sewers into a water park:
Finds cracked, offset, root-infested laterals early
Reduces I&I before it spikes
Helps avoid sewer overflows (which nobody wants to clean up)
Gives property owners straightforward, non-jargon explanations
Leads to better repair pricing and fewer surprises
Why This Matters Right Now
Rain doesn’t create sewer problems—it exposes them. The rainy season is like a stress test for every hidden flaw underground. And trust me, those flaws will introduce themselves the moment the first storm rolls through.
A simple, proactive PSL program means you find issues early, you fix them cheaper, and you avoid becoming the reason your city ends up negotiating a consent decree.
Rain is coming. Your laterals know whether they’re ready.
A little prevention is the way to do this.