Sewer line replacement
When the pipe itself has run out of years, no faucet-and-toilet service call will fix it. You need a sewer company and a trench, or a good reason to skip the trench.
The pipe that’s most likely to need it
Orangeburg was made of wood pulp and pitch. Fairfax County’s engineers date its use from about 1860 to 1970, with the peak in the 1950s and 60s, and they note it can blister, peel in layers and eventually collapse.
Census figures put the median house at 1958 in Granite City and 1960 in Belleville. Those years don’t tell you what’s under any one yard, and a camera does. Clay of the same age holds its shape better and fails at the joints, where roots get in and the line starts to sag.
Full or partial
A partial replacement makes sense when one stretch has collapsed and the rest of the line looks good on video. A full run makes sense when the same trouble shows up every few feet. Paying for a new spot repair each year adds up to the price of a new line, with an old line still in the ground at the end of it.
What gets built back
Illinois sets the minimum fall for drain pipe larger than 3 inches and smaller than 8 at one-eighth of an inch per foot, so solids keep moving. Its code also calls for a full-size clean-out within five feet of the foundation. A new line from us comes with a clean-out, so the next person with a camera or a jetter has a way in.
Your new pipe gets a location rule too. A 2024 Illinois act says a new nonconductive lateral installed from January 1, 2026 has to be locatable, so a later excavator can find it. Minor repairs and partial replacements of older laterals are left out.
Digging or not
Sometimes the yard can stay. Pipe bursting or lining can replace or renew a run from the ends, if the camera says the line qualifies. Many lines don’t, and then the work is open excavation, with regrading and backfill to follow.
Related work
Sewer Line Replacement across 77 Illinois towns, including Granite City, Collinsville, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Alton, O'Fallon, Godfrey, Belleville.
Answers
Sewer Line Replacement: common questions
How do I know if my sewer line needs to be replaced?
Replacement makes sense when a camera shows breaks or sags along much of the run, when Orangeburg has started to deform, or when backups return soon after each cleaning. A collapse the camera can’t pass is another strong sign. One damaged joint alone usually calls for a repair instead.
How long does a sewer line last?
It depends far more on material and soil than on age alone. Orangeburg commonly fails first, and clay pipe tends to outlast its own joints, which let roots in. Modern PVC has fewer joints to fail. Your line’s real condition only shows up on camera.
What does sewer line replacement cost?
We don’t quote a number here, because length, depth and what sits above the pipe change the job a great deal. A driveway, a mature tree or a street connection adds work. A representative can talk through an estimate after hearing the details and seeing what the camera found.
Can an Illinois homeowner replace their own sewer line?
Check with your town first, because permits and inspections are handled locally. Anyone digging must also give JULIE notice at least 2 days ahead, not counting weekends and holidays. Trench safety, connection rules and grade all come into it, and a bad connection can end up being your cost later.
What is Orangeburg pipe and should I replace it?
Orangeburg is pipe made from wood pulp and pitch, widely laid until about 1970, and it softens and collapses with age. Replacing it is usually the sensible choice once a camera shows blistering or a flattened shape. Spot repairs tend to fail because the pipe beside them is the same age.