Replacing clay pipes on city property (Toronto)

You can put in a ticket and have someone from the water works come by for a tapping and inspection, take it from there.

But what old clay pipes specifically? Ones in your home? How do you know it's the city's side issue and it's roots?

koffey wrote: ↑ You can put in a ticket and have someone from the water works come by for a tapping and inspection, take it from there.

But what old clay pipes specifically? Ones in your home? How do you know it's the city's side issue and it's roots?

The clay pipes run from my home out to the main sewer. However, about 6 feet of those pipes are on city property. The plumber has a camera and can tell where the pipe is getting clogged by roots. We know where the property line is and a lot of the clogging is past the property line.

chixdiggit wrote: ↑ The clay pipes run from my home out to the main sewer. However, about 6 feet of those pipes are on city property. The plumber has a camera and can tell where the pipe is getting clogged by roots. We know where the property line is and a lot of the clogging is past the property line.

The city would be responsible for the sewer and water line up to the property line which is usually where the water shut-off is. Replacing that line would be up to them when they want to do it as it might not be the same time you are doing your portion.

There are generally 3 options:

1. You replace before the City is ready and bear the entire cost.
2. The City decides they need to replace it and bears the cost.
3. You wait until it fails, you flood, and insurance replaces it.

Hopefully you can convince the City that it's their issue, and go with #2.

Our street had some flooding a few years ago, the year before they planned on replacing the road and sidewalks. The City delayed the roadwork as a result, in case it was caused by their infrastructure. They investigated, scoped everyone's mainline, concluded that the flooding was their fault as a result of trees on their property, and replaced any mainlines impacted prior to replacing the road and sidewalks. A couple homes had to deal with flooding, but a lot got the benefit of having their line replaced on the City's dime.

Ours was clear, so we didn't benefit.

chixdiggit wrote: ↑ I often have to get my pipes snaked out as they are old clay, and tree roots are growing into them.

I'll be getting my section of pipe replaced but am wondering if the city is responsible for replacing the section that's on their land (about 6 feet of my driveway).
Their section often gets clogged with roots from a large tree that's also on city property.

What I'm mainly asking is - would the city be responsible for those costs or would I be paying for that?

Thanks

So you are correct, in that you are responsible for your side. In regards to the City side, it depends.

If you are redeveloping or doing anything on your property that requires this, the City would ask you to pay for it. If you are not, and it is considered maintenance then the City would be responsible for the costs.

The key thing here is to get the City to agree that it needs to be replaced.

You may have to pay $591 here (under wastewater): https://www.toronto.ca/services-payment ... -and-fees/ to get it scoped and confirm it needs to be replaced. You could also maybe scope it yourself when you replace your side and show them the condition. If you pay them for it, you could also ask them for a refund later if its an issue on the City side.

Edit: Just saw your plumber already videoed it, do you have a video or something you can send to the City?

SubjectivelyObjective wrote: ↑
Edit: Just saw your plumber already videoed it, do you have a video or something you can send to the City?

No video, unfortunately. $591 for a short scope would be train robbery, but I'm not surprised either.

chixdiggit wrote: ↑ No video, unfortunately. $591 for a short scope would be train robbery, but I'm not surprised either.

Don't worry, if they disagree with you that it doesn't need to be replaced, then you can just pay $11.8k for 6ft of pipe, then the $591 will seem like a deal

SubjectivelyObjective wrote: ↑ Don't worry, if they disagree with you that it doesn't need to be replaced, then you can just pay $11.8k for 6ft of pipe, then the $591 will seem like a deal

/suspiciouslyspecific

chixdiggit wrote: ↑ No video, unfortunately. $591 for a short scope would be train robbery, but I'm not surprised either.

That $591 doesn't look like it applies to a scope to confirm where the problem is by my reading of the link.

When we had sewer issues, the city scoped it more than once (first crew did a shot job and said it was only our problem) we fixed the shift inside, but still had a flow issue. Our plumber showed us exactly where, called the city back out, they scoped with me watching and I made sure they saw the issue, it was beyond the curb so clearly city property.

They scheduled a repair and completely replaced the line from the main under the road to the property line. No charge for any of the calls to scope or for the excavation. Call 311.