Los Angeles sewer guide
Los Angeles Sewer Guide: Who Owns What and Who to Call
Short answer: in the City of Los Angeles, LA Sanitation runs the public sewer under the street, and you own the private lateral from your building to it. This guide explains the split, who to call, the rebates the City offers and what to do when the line backs up.
Start here
- Who is responsible for the sewer line
- Who to call by city
- LASAN lateral rebate
- Emergency sewer backup
LASAN 24-hour line: 1-800-773-2489
How the Los Angeles sewer system works
LA Sanitation maintains about 6,700 miles of public sewers serving roughly four million people across about 600 square miles. Most of the flow goes to the Hyperion plant at Playa del Rey. In the San Fernando Valley, flows are partly treated at plants in Van Nuys and the Glendale area first and then sent on to Hyperion. The sewers carry about 550 million gallons a day on average (LA Sanitation and the City planning EIR).
Your building connects to that system through a private pipe called a lateral. The lateral is yours. The public main is the City’s.
Last updated October 2026.
Public main and private lateral
| Part | Owner | Who fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Public sewer main under the street | City of Los Angeles | LASAN |
| Private lateral from the building to the main | The property owner, generally | The owner’s plumber |
| Lines inside the building | The owner or building manager | The owner’s plumber |
Read the full guide: who is responsible for the sewer line.
Who to call
- City of Los Angeles: LASAN at 1-800-773-2489, 24 hours, or MyLA311.
- Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena and Culver City: their own public works departments.
- Unincorporated LA County: County Public Works at 1-800-675-4357.
All the numbers are on who to call by city.
Rebates the City offers
LASAN offers up to $2,500 toward a sewer lateral repair and up to $300 toward a camera inspection, first-come, first-served until yearly funds run out. See the LASAN rebate guide for steps and documents.
Common sewer problems in Los Angeles
- Tree roots in older clay and cast-iron laterals.
- Grease in kitchen and restaurant lines.
- Wipes and paper in dense apartment buildings.
- Backups during the first heavy rain after the dry season.
- Cracked, offset or collapsed pipe in older homes.
Start with signs of a clogged sewer line and rainy season sewer backups.
If the line is backing up now
- Stop using water.
- Do not use chemical drain cleaner.
- Check whether neighbors are affected.
- Call the right number from the list above.
- Photograph the backup.
Where to go next
- Hydro jetting guide: how the method works and when to use it.
- Service areas: your neighborhood or city.
- Cost in Los Angeles: published market ranges.
- Sewer camera inspection: see the pipe before deciding.
Common questions
Who owns the sewer line in Los Angeles?
The City owns the public main. The property owner generally owns the private lateral to it.
What number do I call for a sewer backup?
LASAN at 1-800-773-2489 for the City of Los Angeles. Other cities have their own numbers.
Is there a rebate?
LASAN offers up to $2,500 for lateral repairs and up to $300 for camera inspections, until yearly funds run out.
Is hydro jetting the right fix?
It depends on what the camera shows. See the hydro jetting guide.
Need a plumber on the private side?
Tell us what the drains are doing. We will connect you with Mike, who checks the line with a camera first.