What does Grand Rapids say about a lateral problem?
That it is the citizen's responsibility, and the owner may have a plumber check or clean it. That is from the city's sewer backup information.
A stoppage in the lateral is the owner's to clear, and sewer line jetting is among the options a pro may suggest. A camera inspection can capture visible defects in the line.
Why do Grand Rapids' trees matter underground?
Silver maples, elms and oaks line Heritage Hill and Eastown streets, and roots find clay joints.
A camera look shows roots in a joint, and tree root removal is one option for cutting them back. Frost and thaw can open joints again.
Who maintains which part of the line in Grand Rapids?
The city's sewer backup information splits things as shown here, so confirm your own lot.
| Part of the line | Who maintains it | What it means when a line clogs |
|---|---|---|
| Public sewer mains | City of Grand Rapids | Report trouble in the main to the city |
| Lateral from the house to the main | Property owner | The city says a lateral problem is the owner's responsibility |
| Branch drains inside the house | Owner or occupant | Soap and grease collect here |
What lies under Grand Rapids' older neighborhoods?
Heritage Hill, Eastown, Creston and Highland Park have houses from the 1880s to the 1930s, often on clay or cast iron.
Filming the line shows what age has done to it. Fixtures that drain slowly indoors point to drain jetting.
Which Grand Rapids properties book jetting?
Downtown and Division Avenue restaurants, Monroe Center kitchens, brewery taprooms, student housing near Aquinas and apartment buildings in Midtown.
Frying and grilling build grease fast, so commercial grease line jetting applies; landlords are better matched to drain jetting.
What can you book in Grand Rapids?
Grand Rapids is covered for every service, from Heritage Hill homes to Division Avenue kitchens.
- Sewer line jetting on the lateral from the house to the street
- Sewer camera inspection inside 1880s-to-1930s clay and cast iron
- Tree root removal when silver maple or elm roots enter a joint
- Drain jetting for student-housing baths near Aquinas that slow
- Commercial grease line jetting for Division Avenue and Monroe Center kitchens
- Sewer backup help for basement drains that back up in heavy rain
- Storm drain jetting for brewery and shopping lots and catch basins
Neighborhoods and nearby cities
Calls come from across Grand Rapids, including Heritage Hill, Eastown, Creston, Alger Heights, Midtown, the West Side, Highland Park and Division Avenue.
See the Michigan page for the state overview. Detroit is the big Michigan page, and crews also take calls from Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker, East Grand Rapids and Grandville.