The City of El Cajon runs the public sewer collection system, while the lateral from your house to the main is private plumbing. A sewer camera inspection gives you video of that lateral, showing roots, cracks, offset joints or low spots that keep causing backups. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in El Cajon.
Is my El Cajon drain line old enough to cause trouble?
Quite possibly. Census-based figures put the median El Cajon home at about 1974, so a large share of houses still have drain piping from that era. Lines of that age can be clay, which tends to crack and let roots in at the joints, or cast iron, which corrodes and scales from the inside until the opening narrows. Neighborhoods like Fletcher Hills and Bostonia have plenty of homes in that range. Later additions or repairs may have left a mix of materials, and the transition points between old and new pipe are a common place for leaks and offsets. A camera shows which of these you actually have rather than leaving you to guess from the age of the house.
Does the City of El Cajon get involved with sewer laterals?
The Wastewater division of El Cajon Engineering Services manages the City's collection system with Public Works Operations, and it lists sewer lateral inspections among its services. That is worth asking about if you are unsure where your line meets the main. The pipe on your property is still yours to maintain, though, and a private camera inspection is how you find out what condition it is in, record it and get a repair quoted. If a fix is needed, building permits come through the City's Building Safety Division at 200 Civic Center Way.
Who do I call if sewage is spilling outside?
A spill from a manhole or into the street is a City matter. El Cajon asks residents to report sewer overflows to Public Works Operations at (619) 441-1658 during business hours and to the El Cajon Police Department at (619) 579-3311 after hours. If the street is clear and only your home is backing up, the blockage is almost certainly in your own lateral, which is when a plumber with a camera is the right call.
A note on water service
Water in El Cajon comes from either Helix Water District or Padre Dam Municipal Water District depending on the address. That does not change how a sewer inspection works, but it is useful to know which agency to call if the camera work leads to excavation near a water line or meter.
Sewer Camera Inspection questions in El Cajon
Why does my main line keep backing up after it's cleaned?
Who do I call if sewage is overflowing in the street or from a manhole?
Do tree roots really get into sewer pipes?
What if my house has no outdoor cleanout?
More plumbing services in El Cajon
Sewer Camera Inspection nearby
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