If the repair is yours to pay
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- Your building
- Your part: the whole lateral, up to the connection with the main
- Connection to the main
- Public sewer main
Drawn from the rule quoted on this page. Exceptions above still apply.
Default rule and exceptions
Metro Water Services says the property owner owns and is responsible for maintaining the sewer service line from the building all the way to the public sewer main, per Metro Ordinance 2006-1239 § 15.40.050.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Property owner | Owns and maintains the sewer service line from the building to the public sewer main, per Metro Ordinance 2006-1239 § 15.40.050. |
| City / utility | Metro Water Services owns and operates the public sewer main. |
| Exceptions | None on record |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Sep 26, 2026.
Please note that the property owner owns, and is responsible for, the service line from the building to the sewer main. | METRO ORDINANCE BILL #2006-1239 15.40.050 Maintenance of service connection A. The owner will own and maintain his sewer service line from the public sewer main to the structure served.
According to Metro ordinances, the property owner owns and is responsible for maintaining the service line from the building to the public sewer main.
City rules rest on state law. Read Tennessee's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for sewer lateral in Nashville, TN?
The property owner. Owns and maintains the sewer service line from the building to the public sewer main, per Metro Ordinance 2006-1239 § 15.40.050.
What is this based on for Nashville, TN?
This verdict is sourced to Sewer Line Policy Brochure and 2 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- Sewer Line Policy Brochureofficial-guide · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-13
- Service lines connect citizens to public sewer systemofficial-guide · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-13
Spot an error? Challenge this record
Found an out-of-date code section, a wrong verdict, or a better primary source? Tell us. Corrections that check out are applied, with the change shown in history. That is our standing policy.