# Sewer Lateral in San Francisco, CA: Who Pays? | Who Pays the Repair?

> Who pays for sewer lateral in San Francisco, CA? Owner owns the entire lateral, building to the public main.

**Who pays:** owner

San Francisco: the property owner pays, SFPUC puts both upper and lower sewer lateral on the owner.

**Boundary:** Owner owns the entire lateral, building to the public main.

**Property owner:** Owner owns and maintains the ENTIRE sewer lateral (SFPUC).

**City / agency:** City maintains the public sewer main only.

## Sources
- [How to Take Care of Your Sewer Lateral](https://www.sfpuc.gov/about-us/news/how-take-care-your-sewer-lateral) — "The property owner owns the entire sewer lateral, including the upper lateral, lower lateral, vent and trap." (accessed 2026-09-27)
- [Sewer Laterals (Emergency Preparedness)](https://www.sfpuc.gov/learning/emergency-preparedness/sewer-laterals) — "Property owners are responsible for maintenance, including clearing and jetting the pipe to keep the pipe clear and in good working order." (accessed 2026-09-27)

_Last verified 2026-08-21. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/san-francisco-ca-sewer-lateral/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._