New Construction Plumbing in Douglasville, GA

Between the foundation and the public sewer main runs a pipe the property owner owns and nobody thinks about until it fails: the private sewer lateral. On a new house it is built once, as part of the new construction plumbing, and done properly it can serve the home for a very long time. In Douglasville, the local water and sewer authority spells out what that line has to get right.

Two agencies, two approvals

Plumbing permits for work inside the city go through the Building Division, which takes applications online. The sewer connection is a separate matter: under the rules of the Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority (WSA), no building is connected to a public sewer until WSA has issued its own sewer permit.

What the WSA rules say about the lateral

WSA's rules hold a private lateral to state and local building and plumbing codes on seven points: size, slope, alignment, materials, jointing, testing and backfill. Those seven words make a handy checklist for anyone building a house:

• Size. The pipe must be large enough for the home's drainage load, and the plumbing code sets minimum sizes accordingly.
• Slope. Too flat and solids settle. The code sets a minimum fall based on pipe diameter, and an even grade matters as much as the number itself.
• Alignment. Straight runs, approved fittings at changes of direction and cleanouts where the code calls for them keep the line serviceable.
• Materials. Pipe and fittings must be approved for underground sewer use and suited to the depth and soil.
• Jointing. Joints are made the way the pipe's manufacturer specifies, solvent-welded or gasketed, so they stay tight as the ground settles.
• Testing. The line is checked for leaks before it is covered, as the code and the inspector direct.
• Backfill. Bedding and the first layer of fill support the pipe evenly and keep stones off it, so it holds its grade for the long haul.

Planning the route on the site plan

The lateral's route is drawn before construction, not improvised in the trench. Start from the elevation of the public sewer connection, then work back to the house to find how deep the building drain must exit the foundation. Mark where the lateral crosses the driveway, the water service and any landscape walls. A house that sits below its sewer connection needs a pumped system, and that changes the foundation plan. The lateral is the outdoor end of the job; inside, the new construction plumbing moves through underground, rough-in and final stages as on any house.

Checking the line before move-in

A new lateral can still be crushed by heavy equipment, settled by poor compaction or partly blocked by construction debris. A sewer camera inspection after final grading shows whether the pipe is round, clean and holding its grade, and it gives the owner a recording of its condition from the start. Any defect it finds is far simpler to correct before landscaping goes in, and our main sewer line repair team can make that correction.

Douglasville sewer lateral questions

Do I need a WSA permit as well as a city plumbing permit?

Yes, for the sewer connection. The city's permit covers the plumbing itself, while WSA approves the tie-in to its sewer after reviewing an application and collecting its fees. The two approvals move on separate tracks, so apply for both early enough that neither one holds up the trench or the final inspection.

Who owns the sewer lateral?

The private lateral running from the house toward the public sewer is generally the property owner's responsibility, which is why WSA's rules describe it as private. Exactly where private ownership ends and the authority's begins can depend on the connection, so confirm it with WSA for your property. Building the line correctly the first time spares the owner repairs later.

Can a homeowner pull the plumbing permit for a new house?

Douglasville limits homeowners to certain permit types, and the example the Building Division gives is a water heater replacement rather than a whole new system. On a new house, the plumbing contractor normally files the application. If you are building for yourself, ask the division which permits you can hold before you plan the work around them.

Next step for your new home

Planning a new house in Douglasville and want the sewer lateral worked out before site work begins? Talk with Alpha Plumbing and Sewer at (404) 409-4448.