Sewer lateral repair for the private sewer line between your building and the city main. This is the pipe you own, you maintain, and you pay to fix when it fails. We camera the lateral, locate the damage, and repair the section that is causing the problem.
What you are seeing
Backups keep happening. You called the city and they confirmed the public main is clear. That means the problem is in the lateral - the private sewer pipe that runs from your building to the point where it connects to the city sewer. That pipe is yours, and so is the repair.
Most homeowners find this out when a backup sends them looking for answers and they learn for the first time that the sewer line under their yard is their responsibility, not the city's.
When this repair applies
This repair applies when the structural failure is in the private sewer lateral - the pipe that carries waste from the building's main cleanout to the municipal sewer connection, typically at or near the property line. In most Northern Utah jurisdictions, everything from that connection point back to the building belongs to the property owner.
Sewer lateral repair targets that private segment specifically, not the city main beyond it.
What you walk away with
You walk away with the damaged section of your private lateral repaired, camera footage of the full lateral from cleanout to city connection, and a clear explanation of where the failure was, what caused it, and what the rest of the lateral looks like. If the city connection point itself is the issue, you will know that before the crew leaves - and you will know what the next step involves.
Problem
If the city has cleared their side and the problem persists, the failure is in the lateral - the private pipe that connects your building to the public sewer system. That is the segment the city does not maintain, does not inspect, and will not repair.
The sewer lateral is typically a 4-inch pipe that runs from the building's main cleanout, under the yard and sometimes under the driveway or sidewalk, to a connection point at or near the property line where it ties into the city's larger sewer main. On most residential properties in Northern Utah, that run is 30 to 80 feet long and sits 3 to 6 feet underground. The entire length of it - from the building to the connection point - belongs to the property owner. Laterals fail for the same reasons any buried sewer pipe fails: root intrusion at joints, soil settlement that shifts the pipe out of grade, material deterioration from decades of use, and ground movement from freeze-thaw cycling. But lateral failures carry an additional complication that main line failures do not - many property owners do not know the lateral exists as a separate segment, do not know they own it, and do not know where it runs. That knowledge gap means lateral damage often goes undiagnosed longer than it should. Backups get blamed on the city main, on the interior plumbing, or on branch drains - when the actual failure has been sitting in the lateral the entire time. The other complication is where the lateral runs. On many properties, the lateral passes under a driveway, sidewalk, or landscaped area on its way from the building to the street. That means the repair involves not just fixing the pipe but accessing it through whatever sits on top - and restoring that surface afterward.
Solution
Sewer lateral repair starts with a camera inspection of the full lateral - from the building's cleanout to the city connection point. The camera documents the pipe material, joint condition, grade, and every defect along the private run. That footage defines the repair scope and confirms exactly where the property owner's responsibility begins and ends.
Once the failure is located and measured, the repair is scoped to the damaged section. A single root-infiltrated joint gets a different repair than a 15-foot section of collapsed clay pipe. The method - spot repair, section replacement, or trenchless lining - depends on the lateral's pipe material, depth, length of damage, and the surface conditions above it. If the damage extends to or near the city connection point, that connection is assessed as part of the scope to determine whether it needs to be rebuilt during the repair.
After the repair, the camera runs the full lateral again to verify the fix and document the condition of the remaining pipe. That footage gives the property owner a clear baseline - proof of the completed work and a reference point for any future service on the lateral.
Fit and situation bullets
Problem bullets
Customer Feedback
See what customers say after a sewer lateral repair — from the camera-confirmed diagnosis and scope of the lateral damage to the clear condition report and honest recommendation on the repair method.
Leave a Review!Amazing experience! They are knowledgeable, kind, courteous and very thorough. Our clogged kitchen pipe was a bit of a challenge but they kept going and did everything they could to get it unclogged and they did it! They were very upfront with what caused the clog, gave us video recording of our pipes so we can see exactly what was done, double checked to make sure the pipes were clean and free of clogs and gave us steps on how to maintain the pipes moving forward. Highly recommend!!
I had an Emergency pipe back up AJ and Jake came snaked and got it all jetted out and cleaned up quick and for a really fair price! Anyone in need I would highly recommend
Very professional, quick and efficient work definitely would recommend
Highly recommend, very quick and easy to work with crew, drain cleaned my main sewer line professionally and well done.
This company is Awesome!!! Highly recommend that you call them for your drain cleaning and power washing needs! A++ in service, cost, and quality of work. Alex and Jacob completed drain work, patio cleaning, and filled in cracks in cement. The patio looks brand new! Thank you Alex and Jacob!!!
Alex was very good to work with. They were professional and punctual, working around my schedule. They were able to show me exactly before and after, even showing footage inside my pipes, which I have never seen before. I would recommend them.
Why Mountain West
Camera rated to 200 feet
Covers the full lateral run from cleanout to city connection on most residential properties. Live footage review so owners see every joint, defect, and connection point in their private line - including where their responsibility ends and the city's begins.
Jetting and camera on every call
Hydro jetting equipment deploys on every service call. If the lateral is holding roots, debris, or buildup from a pipe failure, the line gets cleared first so the camera documents actual pipe condition - not the blockage sitting in front of the damage.
3,850 PSI jetting capability
Clears laterals 2 to 12 inches in diameter at 3,850 PSI and 8 GPM with 300 feet of reach - enough to clear and inspect the full private run in a single visit.
20+ years combined field experience
Two decades of diagnosing lateral failures in Northern Utah - including the judgment to distinguish a lateral-specific problem from a main line issue, and the experience to identify where the private segment ends and the city connection begins.
Licensed and insured
Licensed for sewer, drain, and drainage system work including the excavation, trenching, backfill, and surface restoration that lateral repairs under driveways, sidewalks, and landscaping require.
Every sewer lateral repair visit follows the same sequence: clear the lateral, camera the full private run, scope the repair to the confirmed damage, complete the work, and verify the result.
You leave the visit with a repaired lateral, before-and-after camera footage of the full private run, and a documented record of the pipe condition from your building to the city connection - including clarity on where your responsibility ends.
A lateral repair addresses the private segment between your building and the city main. If the camera shows the damage extends beyond the lateral, or if the lateral qualifies for a less disruptive repair method, these services cover the adjacent decisions.
Evidence
Next Service RouteSewer Camera InspectionIf no camera has been run yet, start here. Sewer camera inspection documents the full lateral and confirms whether the failure is in the private segment, at the city connection, or in the main line inside the building - information that determines the correct repair scope.
Next Service RouteTrenchless Sewer RepairTrenchless sewer repair for laterals that qualify for lining or pipe bursting instead of open excavation - particularly relevant when the lateral runs under a driveway, sidewalk, or landscaping where conventional trenching carries high restoration costs.
Next Service RouteSewer ExcavationSewer excavation for lateral repairs that require open-trench access - deep lines, collapsed sections, or damage near the city connection where trenchless methods cannot reach the full scope.Scope and timing
Cost
Support
These are the quick answers most people want before they call, book, or decide on the next step.
A sewer lateral is the private pipe that connects a building's sewer system to the public sewer main, typically running from the building's cleanout under the yard to a connection point at or near the property line. In most Northern Utah jurisdictions, the property owner is responsible for maintaining and repairing the entire lateral from the building to the city connection. The city maintains the public main but does not service or repair private laterals.
If multiple fixtures are backing up and the city has confirmed the public sewer main is clear, the failure is likely in your private sewer lateral - the pipe between your building and the city connection. A sewer camera inspection run from the building's cleanout to the property line confirms the location and type of damage within the lateral.
The technician jets the lateral to clear it, then cameras the full private run from the cleanout to the city connection to document the damage. The repair is scoped to the confirmed failure - spot repair, section replacement, or trenchless methods depending on the damage and pipe conditions. A post-repair camera pass verifies the fix and documents the condition of the remaining lateral.
Sewer pipe repair cost for a lateral depends on the length of pipe being repaired, the depth of the lateral, the pipe material, the repair method, and what covers the surface above the line. A single joint repair in a shallow lateral under open yard costs significantly less than replacing a longer section under a driveway. Mountain West provides a scope and estimate after the camera inspection confirms the damage within the private segment.
Related Reading
These follow-up reads stay close to this service and answer the pricing, warning-sign, process, and comparison questions that usually come next.
Cost Question
Breaks down the cost variables on sewer repair and replacement - depth, access, pipe material, repair method, and how surface restoration above the lateral affects the total price.
Warning Signs
How to tell whether the signs you are seeing point to a damaged lateral, a main line failure, or a blockage that cleaning can handle.
Service Explainer
What a sewer repair visit involves from camera inspection through completed work - including the questions worth asking about the lateral boundary and city connection.
