First steps
Sewage coming up? Stop the water first, then fix the line
A backup is the drain system saying the main has nowhere left to go.
When sewage backs up
Stop flushing, and stop every faucet, shower, washer and dishwasher, because whatever you run comes up at the lowest drain. Keep children and pets away from the water. Skip chemical openers: they will not clear a main, and they make the work dangerous for whoever opens it.
Once the house drains again, the real question is why it backed up. A single wad of wipes is a cleaning job. Roots, a cracked joint or a sagging section will block again, and that is where repair starts.
- Clearing a blocked main so the house can drain (see drain and sewer cleaning)
- Camera inspection from the cleanout, with the depth and position of each defect located
- Root cutting at clay-tile and cast-iron joints
- Spot repair of a cracked, offset or sagging section
- Full lateral replacement from the house to the city tap or septic tank
- New two-way cleanouts where a line has no easy access
Causes
What causes a sewer backup in Central Texas homes?
The answer depends on the age of the house and the ground under it.
In older towns the pipe itself is usually the problem. Taylor’s early-1900s homes drain through cast iron, and pre-1960 Granger houses and Temple’s railroad-era streets often have clay-tile laterals. Cast iron scales and wears thin along its bottom, while clay tile has a joint every few feet for roots to find.
Newer homes fail differently. On Blackland clay east of I-35, soil movement can pull PVC joints apart or leave a belly where water and solids settle. Anywhere, wipes, grease and paper towels catch on those defects.
Signs the main line, not one drain, is the problem
- Several fixtures back up at once, often the lowest tub or shower first
- Toilets gurgle or bubble when the washer drains
- Water rises in the tub when a toilet is flushed
- A sewage smell near the outdoor cleanout
- Backups that return a few weeks after the line was cleared
How it works
Sewer line repair in Georgetown, TX: camera first, then a plan
Drain the house, see the problem, then fix only what needs fixing.
Get the house draining
We open the main at the cleanout, or through a pulled toilet, and cable through the blockage so the household can use water again while we diagnose.
Film the whole line
A camera runs from the cleanout to the city tap or septic tank. A locator marks the depth and position of each crack, root mass or sag on the ground above.
Watch the footage together
You see the video with us. We separate defects that need repair now from wear that can wait, and explain what each one means for the line.
Options and a quote
Root cutting and maintenance, a spot repair or a full replacement, each priced on site before work begins. The choice depends on how much of the line is failing.
Locate utilities, then dig
Texas 811 marks buried gas, power and cable before excavation. The trench then opens only where the repair needs it, sparing lawn and landscaping where possible.
Repair, flow-test and refilm
The new section is bedded and joined, water runs through it, and the camera goes back in to show a round, clean, flowing pipe before backfill.
Cost
What does sewer line replacement cost? The variables that matter
Sewer work is priced from the camera footage, so the quote follows the inspection.
| Variable | Why it changes the job |
|---|---|
| Length and depth of the line | Deeper, longer laterals mean more digging and more pipe |
| Spot repair or full replacement | One cracked joint is a small trench; a failing clay or cast-iron line is a full run |
| What sits on top | Driveways, patios, trees and beds add removal and restoration |
| Ground conditions | Limestone west of I-35 slows trenching; wet clay to the east needs careful bedding |
| Under the slab or outside | Drains beneath the house need tunneling or floor access |
Over the years, one full replacement of a badly rooted old line can cost less than repeated root cutting. The footage shows which side of that trade-off your pipe sits on, and you see it before any quote. A permit, where the city requires one, is part of the price.
Ownership and rules
Who owns the sewer lateral: you, the city or the MUD?
Where a defect sits on the line decides who pays to fix it.
In Georgetown, the city utility says it repairs sewer service lines from the homeowner’s property line to its system, and the part on your lot is yours. The camera locator shows which side of that boundary a defect sits on.
MUD communities such as Brushy Creek run their own sewer systems, and other cities set their own split, so ask your utility before anyone digs. Rural homes on septic own everything from the house to the tank and the field.
Sewer work falls under the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, whose public search shows the Responsible Master Plumber behind a company. We pull a permit whenever the city requires one for the job.
Why Alta Vista Plumbing
Why homeowners trust Alta Vista Plumbing with a backed-up main
Two customers describe what a sewer call looked like from their side.
One reviewer’s main sewer clogged so badly the house had no usable toilet, and the family used a fast-food restaurant’s restroom until our plumber arrived. The line was diagnosed and fixed on that visit. Another customer had a pipe break about a foot from the cleanout, got a quote first and had the repair done the next day.
Alta Vista Plumbing has worked on Georgetown sewer lines since 1999, and our 436 Google reviews average 4.7. Reviewers mention options explained before work starts. Residential or commercial, call (512) 988-5119.
Sewer calls in our customers’ words
4.7 average from 436 Google reviewsRead our Google reviews
I was in a panic. Our main sewer clogged up, meaning no water, toilet, nothing. I went to Whataburger to use their restroom. Lydia showed up within 10 minutes of her scheduled appoint, diagnosed the issue and fixed it. I am so happy to use my own plumbing. P.S. I thought the price was very fair.…
Jared and Nigel were punctual, knowledgeable and answered all my questions. Everyone I spoke to from this company was delightful and helpful. We had a pipe break about a foot away from the clean out and they were able to come give me a quote same day and come out to do the work the next day. I highly recommend this company and would use them again.
Excellent plumbing company with knowledgeable and professional staff. They repaired my plumbing issue promptly and in a very timely manner from my initial contact. They showed up on time and were ready with materials and supplies to complete my repair issue. We will use them again without hesitation.