Do we need a sewer lateral inspection to sell our San Mateo house?
Yes, since December 1, 2020, unless an exception applies. Skip it only if an inspection in the past five years found nothing to repair or had its repairs completed, or if the lateral was completely replaced and finaled under a city permit in the past 25 years. A failed inspection means repair or replacement under the ordinance.
Is the sewer pipe under the street really ours to fix?
In San Mateo, yes. The city defines the private sewer lateral as running from the building all the way to, and including, its connection with the public main, whether or not that stretch lies under a street. Work in the right-of-way needs an encroachment permit, and the city's cost-sharing program can help with a full replacement.
Can our sump pump drain into the sewer?
Not if you want the lateral to pass. San Mateo's inspection form lists, among the requirements to pass, that the private lateral have no connections to outside drains or sump pumps, and it asks the inspector to report any it finds. Water from a sump has to be routed somewhere other than the sanitary sewer.
Is San Mateo's water hard enough to need a softener?
Cal Water's 2025 report for the area gives an average hardness of 62 ppm and counts water under 75 ppm as soft. Its water is bought from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and Cal Water reports no known lead service lines. For a leak, its house valve is usually under an outside faucet, often the one for the garden hose.
Will the city pay for part of a lateral repair?
Only for a complete replacement. The Private Sewer Lateral Cost Sharing Program excludes partial replacements, spot repairs, pothole repairs and the camera inspection itself. A full replacement quote has to include a cleanout and a new wye if needed, along with a building permit and, for the street, an encroachment permit.
