Is all of Grosse Pointe on city sewer?

Yes. The city's master plan says sanitary sewers serve the whole city, with separate storm sewers. City code allows a septic tank only where no public sewer is available. So our work here centers on the sewer lead from each house to the city main.

What does sewer line replacement cost in Grosse Pointe?

We price each job after we see it, and the free estimate comes in writing. Length and depth drive most of the cost, and city code puts new sewer pipe at least five feet down. A trench under the street adds the street opening permit and the pavement repair. Restoring a driveway or walk the trench crosses adds to it as well.

What should I do when sewage backs up into my basement?

Stop using water in the house, the city says, and call its Department of Public Works before a plumber. A city employee checks the main line for problems. Michigan law gives you 45 days after discovery to send a written damage claim to the governmental agency. Once the line is clear, a camera inspection shows whether the lead needs repair.

Does the city replace lead water service lines?

Yes. A state mandate has the city replace lead and galvanized lines, main to at least 18 inches inside the house. Its program began in March 2026, about 70 lines a year from a list of roughly 650. Owners on the list get a letter with a consent form for the private side.

Can you replace a sewer lead on a narrow Grosse Pointe lot?

Yes. Parts of Notre Dame, St. Clair and Neff have lots only 30 to 40 feet wide, the narrowest in the city. We bring mini-excavators sized for tight residential access and keep the dig to the line's path. Afterward we compact the backfill in lifts and restore the surface.

Sewer Line Replacement in Grosse Pointe, MI | Sewer Line Repair, Water Service Lines and Excavation

Who Owns the Sewer Lead in Grosse Pointe?

City code calls the pipe from your house to the public sewer the building sewer. The city's water and sewer page calls it the house lead. The code puts the cost of its repairs and replacements on the property owner, connection to the public sewer included. The city checks its own main line.

The owner applies to the building inspector for that work, the code says. Opening into a public sewer takes the inspector's written permit. The city's plumbing permit form lists a sewer inspection among its items. We keep the trench open until that inspection passes, then backfill in lifts.

City code also sets sewers and water service pipe at least five feet below grade. The city recommends a camera inspection before you buy a home or dig up a sewer. Our camera shows whether one bad section needs a repair or the whole run needs replacing.

Old Sewer Leads and Mature Trees in Grosse Pointe

The City of Grosse Pointe sits on Lake St. Clair between Grosse Pointe Park and Grosse Pointe Farms. Its master plan says 57.5 percent of its housing units were built before 1939. Only 15 new housing units went up from 2000 to 2021. Most single-family lots run 40 to 60 feet wide.

The master plan also calls the city full of large, mature trees along its streets and in backyards. The city advises cabling the sanitary line twice a year, in spring and fall, to cut back root growth. Cabling is a job for a plumber or a drain cleaning company.

When roots keep coming back, a camera inspection shows whether the pipe itself has cracked or pulled apart. A failed pipe needs repair or replacement, and that part is our work.

Grosse Pointe Downspout and Street Opening Rules

The 2022 master plan notes that the city has been experiencing intense flooding events. City code makes it unlawful to keep gutter downspouts connected to the city sewer system. The council adopted the rule to cut the sudden inflow of rainwater into the Neff Road pump station. The city checks for connected downspouts at the certificate of occupancy inspection when a house sells.

The building inspector can exempt a downspout whose water would land on a driveway or run against a basement wall. A new yard drain or catch basin takes a city plumbing permit. We dig and set those through our storm drain and catch basin work.

Where a sewer lead runs under the street, the dig needs a street opening permit from the building inspector. The city requires a cash deposit first, and its plumbing permit adds a pavement break deposit. City code bars a new opening in a paved street for four years after paving or resurfacing. The inspector can suspend that rule when public safety calls for an opening.

That timing matters here. Residents approved a road millage in 2014, and the city plans road work six years ahead. The city resurfaced St. Clair Avenue in 2025 and took on Notre Dame Avenue in 2026. If your street is on the list, have the lead checked before the new pavement goes down.

Water Lines and Rebuilds in Grosse Pointe

The city contracts with Grosse Pointe Farms for its water, drawn from Lake St. Clair. City code makes water connections and meters city property, so water line questions start with the city. A water service upgrade goes through the city's plumbing permit, whose tap charge covers inspection only. The owner's contractor supplies the parts and labor, and that dig is part of our water service line work.

Most development here comes through additions or the rare demolition, the plan says. Older homes on 50-foot lots mostly keep a detached garage set back behind the house. When an old garage or house comes down, our demolition work clears the lot and hauls the debris away. A dumpster on the street needs the city's right of way permit, and a bond comes with it.

At a sale, the certificate of occupancy inspection checks driveways and private walks for safe passage. City code sets sidewalks at least four inches thick, and only repairs under 50 square feet skip the permit. Any curb cut also takes a written permit from the building inspector. We restore the drive a trench crosses, and our concrete driveway work covers full replacements.