Watching the ground around your sewer lines for damp spots is a great idea, but what if you don’t know where your sewer lines are located? Perhaps you’re looking to purchase a house and want to check for potential problems ahead of time. How can you locate the sewer lines easily?

• City sewer lines generally run from the public connector outside of the home, so look for a manhole cover outside of the home, near the driveway or curbside – that is an indicator of a public line.
• Contact your local officials or public works department and ask for a copy of the sewer map for the area.
• Look for small pipes, or cleanouts, sticking out of the ground.
• Ask your county deed office for a map of your property.
• Call your local plumber that has a camera to locate the lines.
• Call a utility marking company.

Once you identify where your pipes are located, you can watch the area for wet spots and other signs of a problem.