Sewer & Water Service Lines in Minneapolis, MN

Sewer and water service lines connect a house to the city: the sewer lateral carries wastewater to the main, and the water service brings water from the main through the curb stop to the meter. In Minneapolis, with nearly 44 percent of homes built before 1940, many of those lines are original clay, cast iron or old metal pipe that has cracked, filled with roots or begun to leak.

Deep, because of frost

Water lines in Minnesota have to sit deep enough to stay below frost, and sewer laterals usually run deep to reach the main and keep their slope. That means trenches several feet deep and often deeper than five feet near the street, where federal safety rules require trench protection. We use trench boxes or sloped walls and never put anyone in an unprotected deep trench.

Sand caves, till holds

In outwash sand, trench walls collapse easily, especially in spring when the USDA notes a saturated zone can form 1 to 2 meters down in soils like Hubbard. In loamy till, walls stand better but backfill must be compacted carefully to avoid settling.

Working with your plumber and the city

Your licensed plumber makes the connections and handles inspections. Work in the street or boulevard needs city permits and traffic control. We coordinate the excavation, the permits we pull and the restoration of lawns, walks and driveways.

Winter emergencies

Sewer backups and frozen or broken water lines do not wait for spring. We dig year-round for emergencies, breaking frost as needed.

Cost

HomeAdvisor lists sewer line repair at $1,388 to $5,323 and new lines at $60 to $250 per linear foot. Water lines run about $50 to $150 per foot. Depth, frost, and street work add to the total.

Signs of a failing service line

Slow drains throughout the house, gurgling, sewage backing up in the floor drain, or wet spots in the yard over the water line all point to a problem. A camera inspection by your plumber confirms the location and condition before any digging.

Old abandoned lines

Older lots sometimes have abandoned lines, old septic tanks or cisterns from before city services reached them. If we find one, it has to be properly closed or removed, and we price that before going further.