Written by Amanda Casteel · COO Reviewed by Johnny Casteel · CEO · Master Plumber Updated July 2026 VA Plumbing Lic. 2710075081 · Contractor Lic. 2705180998
Quick answers
- Sewer lateral: usually yours from the house all the way to the public main — including under the street.
- Water: typically yours from the house to the city shut-off / meter; city beyond that.
- Gas: utility to and including the meter; you own everything after (including buried yard lines).
- Before you buy: a $550 home buyer plumbing inspection maps what you would actually own.
When to use this guide
Use this before buying a home, after a lateral failure quote, or when you need plain-language ownership boundaries for sewer, water, gas, or electric service lines in Northern Virginia, DC, or Maryland.
Sewer lines: yours all the way to the main
In most jurisdictions, the homeowner owns the entire sewer lateral — from the house to the point where it connects to the public main. Not to your property line. To the main itself. If the main runs down the middle of the street, you are responsible for the pipe under your yard, under the sidewalk, AND under the street.
The cul-de-sac problem
Sewer mains often do not extend into cul-de-sacs. We have inspected homes whose laterals ran 25 feet under the road — or across a neighbor's property — to reach the main. The homeowner owned every foot. A sewer camera inspection maps exactly where your line runs and what condition it is in.
If your sewer line fails: three options
1) Spot repair — fix the damaged section only (or trenchless lining where possible); least expensive when damage is isolated. 2) Replace to the sidewalk or street edge — new pipe from the house to the edge of the public right-of-way when the yard portion failed but the under-street section is healthy. 3) Replace all the way to the main — full lateral replacement including under the street; by far the most expensive option because of right-of-way requirements.
Why under-street replacement costs so much
Once work crosses into the public right-of-way, you are not just paying for pipe. Typical requirements: right-of-way / street-cut permits; utility locates (811); traffic control plans; saw-cutting and pavement removal; deep excavation with OSHA shoring; engineered backfill and compaction testing; repaving a full lane or street panel (not just the trench) plus curb/gutter/sidewalk if disturbed; multiple city inspections; contractor bonding and insurance; and street moratorium fees on recently repaved roads. That is why option 3 can cost several times more than the same footage in your yard — and why knowing your line's condition and route before you buy matters so much.
Water lines
The homeowner is typically responsible for the water service line from the house to the city shut-off valve (usually at the meter, near the property line). The city is responsible from the shut-off to the main — and generally for the shut-off valve and meter themselves if they stop working. A leak on your side of the shut-off is your repair, even if it is under your driveway.
Gas lines
The gas utility typically owns and maintains everything up to and including the meter. The homeowner owns everything after the meter — the lines into and through the house, plus any buried yard lines to pools, fire pits, generators, or detached buildings. Those buried customer lines are commonly missed in inspections and are entirely the homeowner's responsibility.
Electric lines
For overhead service, the utility owns the wires up to the connection at your weatherhead; the homeowner owns the weatherhead, mast, meter base, and everything inside (the utility owns the meter itself). For underground service, the split varies by utility — in many areas the homeowner owns the buried service conductors on their property. Check with your provider.
The bottom line
If a line serves only your home, assume it is yours until proven otherwise — even under a street or a neighbor's yard. Before you buy, a sewer camera and plumbing inspection tell you what you would actually own. Our $550 home buyer inspection covers it — and could save you up to $50,000. Responsibility boundaries vary by city, county, and utility provider. Confirm with your local providers — or ask us and we will help you find out. Download the printable guide: /assets/who_owns_what_utility_lines_cherry_blossom.pdf
Failure modes to avoid
Assuming the city owns everything past the foundation
Ownership usually runs to the main, not the property line. That misunderstanding turns into five-figure under-street invoices.
Skipping a camera on a cul-de-sac, corner, or flag lot
Long laterals under streets or neighbors' yards are invisible from above — map them before you commit.
Proof & methodology
- · Written by Amanda Casteel (COO), reviewed by Johnny Casteel (CEO · Master Plumber) — Cherry Blossom Plumbing (VA Plumbing Lic. 2710075081).
- · Grounded in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and DC service patterns — including cul-de-sac lateral inspections where lines ran 25+ feet under the road.
Last updated July 2026
FAQs
Do I own the sewer pipe under the street?
In most DMV jurisdictions, yes — if it is your lateral to the public main. Confirm with your locality; we can help you verify.
What does the $550 home buyer inspection include?
See our Home Buyer Plumbing Inspection Act page — sewer camera, water quality, water heater age and code, full plumbing to code, plus the written checklist items.
Can I download this guide as a PDF?
Yes — download Who Owns What at /assets/who_owns_what_utility_lines_cherry_blossom.pdf, or email [email protected].
Next step
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