Sewer Excavation in Tucker, GA

Once a sewer excavation is on the calendar, a sensible question often follows: if the yard is going to be opened anyway, should the water service line be replaced at the same time? In older homes both pipes may be original, and both run from the house toward the street. At a Tucker house, the answer depends on the condition of the water line, the route each pipe takes and how the code treats pipes that share a trench.

When the question comes up

It usually arises in houses where the building sewer is old clay or cast iron and the water line is from the same era. Galvanized steel water pipe corrodes inside and loses flow over time, and polybutylene, used in homes from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, has a poor reputation for failing at fittings. A history of low pressure, a damp spot in the yard or a past leak repair on the water side all make the question worth asking. A house with a newer copper or plastic water line has less reason to touch it.

Same route or different routes

The two lines do not always run side by side. The sewer leaves the house wherever the main drain exits, often low on the side nearest the street, while the water line runs from the meter to wherever it enters the house, which can be on a different side entirely. If the routes are far apart, replacing both means two trenches, and the savings from combining the work shrink. If they run close together, one excavation can expose both.

Sharing a trench

Plumbing codes limit how water and sewer pipes can share a trench, usually by requiring a set separation between them or by placing the water pipe on a firm shelf above the sewer. The reason is simple: a leak from the sewer should never be able to reach drinking water. The inspector has the final word on how the two are arranged, so the plan should be settled before the trench is dug rather than improvised in the hole.

Checking the water line before deciding

Look at the pipe where it enters the house and, if it can be reached safely, at the meter end. Note the material, any corrosion and the water pressure. Replacing the water service line is its own job with its own considerations. On the sewer side, a sewer camera inspection confirms how much of the building sewer actually needs to come out.

Weighing it up

• For doing both: one excavation and one restoration, and no second dig in a few years if the water line is nearing the end of its life.
• Against: a larger project now, and no real gain if the water line is sound or runs on a different route.
• Middle ground: replace the sewer now and run a sleeve or conduit through the open trench, where the inspector allows it, so a future water line can be pulled through with less digging.

Tucker permits and inspections

The city's Building and Permitting Division lists sewer line replacement and water line replacement among the jobs that need a plumbing permit, and Tucker's code calls for an underground plumbing inspection once trenches are dug and piping installed, before any backfill.

Sewer and water line questions in Tucker

How long does a combined sewer and water line job take?

Longer than either line alone, though usually less than two separate projects. The water service has to be shut off while it is replaced, so plan for a stretch without running water as well as the usual window when drains cannot be used on the sewer side. The crew should give you a sequence showing when each service is out and when it comes back.

Do both lines need permits in Tucker?

Expect so, since each line is plumbing work in its own right and the city's permit list names both. Ask the Building and Permitting Division how it wants combined work applied for. Either way, both pipes need to stay visible in the open trench until the underground inspection is done.

Should I replace a water line that is not leaking?

Not necessarily. A sound copper or plastic line can be left alone. The case for replacing it during a sewer dig is stronger when the line is galvanized or polybutylene, pressure has dropped, or leaks have been patched before, and when it runs close enough to the sewer to share the excavation.

Decide before the trench opens

Unsure about the water line running near the sewer at your Tucker home? With one call to (404) 409-4448, Alpha Plumbing and Sewer can check both lines so you can decide whether a single dig should handle them together.