| Repair | Who pays | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal Liability: Sewer Main Backup Into My Home | Depends | Philadelphia is responsible for the public sewer main with notice of a defect, but you own the lateral line to your house. |
| Municipal Liability: Water Main Break Flooded My Home | Depends | Philadelphia can be liable for a water-main condition it had notice of; the ferrule is the boundary between city and owner duty. |
| Sewer Lateral | Property owner | In Philadelphia the property owner repairs the lateral from the house drain to the public sewer, verified against the Philadelphia Water Department. |
| Sidewalk Repair | Property owner | In Philadelphia the abutting owner is responsible for the footway and curb; City-performed work is assessed to owners but capped at 30 percent of the cost. |
| Street Tree / Parkway | Shared | Philadelphia Parks maintains street trees, but owners pay for sidewalk repair with no tree-root damage exception. |
| Tree Roots | Property owner | Philadelphia tree root damage: the property owner pays for sidewalk repair with no tree-root exception, even for city street trees, per the city's own FAQ. |
| Water Service Line | Property owner | In Philadelphia the customer is responsible for the water service line once water leaves the PWD main, verified against the Philadelphia Water Department. |
Municipal Liability: Sewer Main Backup Into My Home
Philadelphia is responsible for the public sewer main with notice of a dangerous condition, but you own and must maintain the lateral line connecting your house to that main.
A dangerous condition of the facilities of steam, sewer, water, gas or electric systems owned by the local agency and located within rights-of-way, except that the claimant to recover must establish that the dangerous condition created a reasonably foreseeable risk of the kind of injury which was incurred.
Municipal Liability: Water Main Break Flooded My Home
Philadelphia can be liable for a dangerous water-main condition it had notice of; the boundary is the ferrule, and everything from there into your house is your own responsibility.
A dangerous condition of the facilities of steam, sewer, water, gas or electric systems owned by the local agency and located within rights-of-way, except that the claimant to recover must establish that the dangerous condition created a reasonably foreseeable risk of the kind of injury which was incurred.
Sewer Lateral
Philadelphia owners must repair the lateral, the pipe running from the house drain to the public sewer, including the tap connection.
This means that customers must repair faulty plumbing that connects our water and sewer mains to their home as well as the plumbing inside the home.
Source: Customer Responsibilities: customers must repair plumbing connecting the mains to the home
Sidewalk Repair
Philadelphia: the abutting owner is responsible for the footway and curb; City-performed work is assessed to owners but capped at 30 percent of cost.
Whenever the Department of Streets determines that it is necessary to grade, pave, repave, or repair the sidewalks and to set or reset the curb of any public street in the City, it shall give written notice of the Department's intention to have such work done and the provisions of this Section to the owner of the...
Source: The Philadelphia Code § 11-505 (sidewalk/curb responsibility; City assessment capped at 30%)
Street Tree / Parkway
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation plants, prunes, and removes every street tree, but the property owner must fix the sidewalk even when a City-maintained tree's roots caused the damage, with no exceptions.
The City of Philadelphia has jurisdiction over street trees, but the trees are owned by the property owner...Philadelphia Parks & Recreation manages all street trees (as well as park trees) in the city of Philadelphia and is responsible for planting, pruning, and removing street trees.
Source: Street tree frequently asked questions: Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
Tree Roots
Philadelphia: tree roots buckle your sidewalk, you still pay. No exception, not even for a city-planted street tree.
The Philadelphia Code states that the property owner is responsible for maintaining their sidewalks in a safe condition. There are no exceptions for damage to sidewalks caused by tree roots.
Water Service Line
In Philadelphia, once water leaves the PWD main in the street, every pipe up to and inside the house is the customer’s to fix.
Once drinking water leaves the PWD water main in the street, its safe delivery becomes the customer’s responsibility.
Source: Customer Responsibilities: once water leaves the PWD main it is the customer’s responsibility
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