Private Sewer Lateral Program
Pinellas County Utilities (PCU) is committed to protecting people and the environment while delivering high-quality wastewater collection and treatment services. We have developed the Private Sewer Lateral Policy to improve our Wastewater Collection System through initiatives such as the Private Sewer Lateral Rebate Program, Private Sewer Lateral Permitting Policy, Find and Fix Program and Private Sewer System Program.
Wastewater Collection System Management
PCU initiated the Wastewater Collection System Management Program to mitigate or eliminate sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) in the wastewater collection system. SSOs can be caused by an issue known as Inflow and Infiltration during high rain events. Inflow and Infiltration is groundwater and stormwater that can enter the sewer system through cracks in the sewer system pipes. It is important that PCU upgrade the system to prevent this from happening – but it is equally important that homeowners address their sewer system pipes that may also be contributing to the problem. Sometimes homeowners can have defective pipes and not know it until it is too late. If a pipe collapses, it could cause devastating damage to the home and require costly repairs. Take a proactive step to improving your home and get your pipe inspected today.
Improving the Wastewater Collection System
PCU has developed a Private Sewer Lateral Policy to improve our Wastewater Collection System. The four components of this policy are listed below.
- The Private Sewer Lateral Rebate Program is an incentive-based and voluntary program intended to offset the property owner’s cost to inspect, replace, or rehabilitate (via pipe lining), their private sewer laterals.
- The Private Sewer Lateral Permitting Policy requires residential property owners to have their private sewer lateral inspected when they apply for certain types of building permits. Property owners will have 365 days to replace or rehabilitate their laterals if they are found defective. PSL permitting will not affect or delay the processing of building permits.
- The Find and Fix Program identifies projects that support comprehensive system rehabilitation, such as lining and replacing sewer mains and manholes and improving public and private laterals.
- The Private Sewer System Program establishes specific private system requirements that are intended to reduce the risk of emergencies, overflows and elevated levels of Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) to the PCU system.
View Private Sewer Lateral Program Frequently Asked Questions – Pinellas County for additional details.
If you have additional questions, contact: email privatesewer@pinellas.gov or call (727) 464-4000 and select option 8.
