# Fort Worth Sewer Lateral: Who's Responsible? | Who Pays the Repair?

> Fort Worth's code has the city maintaining the sewer line to the property line, while owners verify their building sewer lateral's grade.

**Who pays:** shared

Fort Worth's sewer ordinance puts the city in charge of the sewer connection from the main to the property line, while owners must verify their building sewer lateral's grade before the city taps it in.

**Boundary:** Under Fort Worth Code § 35-57.5(k), the city owns and maintains the sanitary sewer tap and wastewater service connection from the main to the property line, while § 35-57.5(i) requires the property owner to verify the grade of the building sewer lateral on the private-property side before the city will complete the tap.

## Sources
- [Fort Worth Code of Ordinances § 35-57.5: Sewer Tap Connections (Ownership and maintenance)](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ftworth/latest/ftworth_tx/0-0-0-31895) — "The sanitary sewer tap shall be constructed at the expense of the owner/customer. The city shall then own and maintain the sewer tap upon completion and acceptance. ... The city shall maintain wastewater service connections from the main to the property line." (accessed 2026-09-27)
- [Fort Worth Code of Ordinances § 35-57.5(i): Grade verification (building sewer lateral, owner duty)](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ftworth/latest/ftworth_tx/0-0-0-31895) — "Prior to any construction of a building sewer lateral, the property owner shall verify in writing that the sewer lateral is capable of being installed to such a grade that will permit a sanitary sewer tap to be made by the city..." (accessed 2026-09-13)

_Last verified 2026-09-26. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/fort-worth-tx-sewer-lateral/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._