Inspect
We use RIDGID sewer camera equipment to examine the line for blockages, roots, damage, offsets, standing water, and other visible conditions.
St. Louis area
Sewer Lateral Inspection & Municipal Reporting
Camera inspection of the lateral with documentation prepared for submission to a municipal sewer lateral repair program.
What these programs are
Numerous municipalities across the St. Louis area operate sewer lateral repair programs, funded by a modest annual charge collected on the real estate tax bill. Where a program applies and a claim is approved, it can cover a substantial share of an eligible lateral repair.
Why documentation is the sticking point
Programs do not generally reimburse on the basis of a description of the problem. They typically require documentation from a licensed plumber establishing the defect, commonly including video of the line showing the condition and where along the line it sits.
That documentation is the work. Without it, a homeowner with a genuine lateral failure may have no route into a program they have been paying into for years.
What we do
We inspect the lateral, record the footage, identify the visible condition and its distance along the line, and prepare the documentation the program requires. The Sewer Pros is licensed through most of the area’s municipal sewer lateral programs for submitting reports.
What we cannot do
We cannot approve a claim, and we will not tell you one is likely. Eligibility rules differ sharply between municipalities: some cover only failures beneath the public right-of-way, others stop a set distance from the house, several exclude root clearing as ordinary maintenance, and caps range from none stated to a fixed dollar limit.
The municipality applies its own rules to the evidence. We produce the evidence accurately, including where the line could not be assessed.
Why an independent inspection fits this particularly well
A lateral program claim turns on documented condition. We do not perform sewer repair or replacement, so what our footage shows is not the opening move in a quote from us for the remedy.
Independent sewer inspection & second opinions
Before You Approve an Expensive Sewer Repair, Get an Opinion With Nothing to Sell
A sewer backup or major repair recommendation can make a costly decision feel urgent. The Sewer Pros inspects and documents the condition inside your sewer line so you can understand what is actually happening before you approve cleaning, excavation, lining, or replacement.
Because we do not perform sewer repairs or replacements, we do not profit from selling you the work. Our role is to inspect and document visible conditions, explain what we found in plain language, and give you an honest opinion you can use to make the next decision.
Get an Independent Second Opinion
Already received a repair recommendation? Bring us in for an independent second opinion before you sign off on major work.
Document
We inspect and document visible conditions inside the line, so you are not forced to rely only on a verbal repair recommendation.
Decide
Use the findings to determine whether the issue calls for cleaning, monitoring, a repair estimate, or another qualified opinion, without pressure to buy a repair from us.
Do not approve a major sewer repair based only on a sales-driven recommendation. The Sewer Pros does not repair or replace sewer lines, by design, so we have no repair contract to sell. Get a documented second opinion before you approve the expense.
How it works
Confirm the program
Establish which municipality applies and what it requires.
Inspect the lateral
Record the line and locate any defect along it.
Prepare documentation
Compile the footage and written report in the required form.
Submit the report
How we work
The inspection is the product
Finding out what is happening in the line is the job, not a step toward selling a repair.
You see the evidence
Conditions found in the line are documented so you can look at them yourself.
Sewer and drain specialists
Sewer inspection, diagnostics, locating, and cleaning, rather than general plumbing.
The next step stays your decision
If the line needs work beyond cleaning, you decide what to do about it and who does it.
Request service
Step 1 of 4
Related services
Sewer Camera Inspection
A camera inspection of the accessible sewer line, documenting what is visible. It can help identify observed conditions and support an informed next-step decision.
St. Louis, MO Sewer Services
What our customers say
4.9 out of 5from 595 Google reviews · as of
Common questions about Sewer Lateral Inspection & Municipal Reporting
Will the program pay for my repair?
That is the municipality’s decision, not ours. Programs differ on what they cover, where coverage begins and ends, what they exclude, and whether a cap applies. We document the condition; they apply their rules.
Is root clearing covered?
Frequently not. Several programs classify routine root clearing as ordinary maintenance rather than a structural failure, and exclude it. The specifics vary by municipality.
Do I pay for the inspection even if the claim succeeds?
In several programs the homeowner bears the cost of the inspection and documentation, with the program contributing to the repair itself. Check the terms your municipality publishes.
Get the lateral documented
Camera inspection and reporting prepared for municipal program submission.
Request service
Step 1 of 4