# Sewer Lateral Repair in Minneapolis, MN: Who Pays? | Who Pays the Repair?

> Minneapolis owners own and maintain the entire sewer service lateral to the main, replacement included, no matter who owns the land where it connects.

**Who pays:** owner

Minneapolis makes the whole lateral yours by ordinance: it is "owned in its entirety by the land owner" out to the main, replacement included.

**Boundary:** The owner owns and maintains the entire sanitary sewer service lateral, regardless of who owns the property where it connects to the main. Operation and maintenance includes replacement.

**Property owner:** Minneapolis Code: "The sanitary sewer service lateral is owned in its entirety by the land owner whose property is connected to the public sanitary sewer system. The responsibility for its cleaning, maintenance or repair lies with the property owner."

**City / agency:** Minneapolis Code: "Regardless of who owns the property where the connection is made to the sewer main or any other element of the public sanitary sewer system, the property owner is responsible for ownership and maintenance ... Operation and maintenance includes replacement."

## Sources
- [Sec. 511.10 - Definitions (Sanitary sewer service lateral).](https://library.municode.com/mn/minneapolis/codes/code_of_ordinances/409829?nodeId=MICOOR_TIT19WASTSASE_CH511SASE) — "The sanitary sewer service lateral is owned in its entirety by the land owner whose property is connected to the public sanitary sewer system. The responsibility for its cleaning, maintenance or repair lies with the property owner." (accessed 2026-09-27)
- [511.40. - Ownership and responsibility for sanitary sewer service laterals and connections.](https://library.municode.com/mn/minneapolis/codes/code_of_ordinances/409829?nodeId=MICOOR_TIT19WASTSASE_CH511SASE) — "Regardless of who owns the property where the connection is made to the sewer main or any other element of the public sanitary sewer system, the property owner is responsible for ownership and maintenance ... Operation and maintenance includes replacement." (accessed 2026-09-27)

_Last verified 2026-09-27. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/minneapolis-mn-sewer-lateral/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._