Septic to Sewer Conversion

A lot of Inland Empire neighborhoods started out on septic and later got public sewer. When the sewer main reaches your street, or your septic system starts failing, you may be facing a conversion: running a new sewer line from the house to the main and properly closing out the old tank.

Valley Drilling Co is a family-owned, C-42 licensed septic contractor that has been working in Southern California since 1950. We handle sewer tie-ins and septic tank abandonment, so the whole job can be done by one crew. Call (909) 795-6164. Phones are answered 7 days a week, 8 AM to 8 PM.

When Do Homes Switch From Septic to Sewer?

Most conversions start for one of these reasons:

• The sewer main reaches your street. Some cities and sewer districts require nearby homes to connect, sometimes within a set period. Others leave it up to the owner.
• The septic system is failing. If sewer is close enough, the agency may require you to connect instead of repairing or replacing the septic system.
• You're selling the property. A buyer or lender may ask questions about the septic system, and connecting can be part of the conversation.
• You're adding an ADU or remodeling. New living space adds flow, and the existing septic system may not be big enough. Connecting to sewer can be simpler than upsizing.

Some homeowners just want to stop worrying about pumping and leach lines. If sewer is available, that's a fair reason too.

How Do You Find Out if Sewer Is Available?

Start with the city or the sewer or water district that serves your area. Ask them:

• Is there a sewer main in front of my property, and how deep is it?
• Is there already a lateral stub to my property line?
• Am I required to connect, and by when?
• What permits and fees apply to a new connection?

Their answers shape the rest of the project. Connection fees and rules vary a lot from one agency to the next, so get them in writing from the agency itself.

What Does a Septic-to-Sewer Conversion Involve?

1. Permits. A sewer connection permit from the city or district, and in many areas a separate permit or sign-off from the county to abandon the septic tank.
2. Locating the lines. We find where the house drain leaves the building, where the tank sits and where the sewer main or stub is.
3. Running the lateral. We trench and lay a new sewer lateral from the house to the main, with the right slope and cleanouts. If the house sits lower than the main, a pump or lift system may be needed.
4. The tie-in. The lateral is connected to the main or stub, and the agency inspects the connection before it's covered.
5. Abandoning the tank. The old tank is pumped out, then crushed and filled in place or removed, depending on what the county requires.
6. Backfill and cleanup. Trenches are backfilled and the work areas are cleaned up.

Who Issues the Permits?

Usually two different agencies are involved. The city or sewer district controls the connection to its sewer system. The septic abandonment side is often handled by county environmental health or the local building department, depending on where you live. The exact split varies, and that's one reason it helps to work with a contractor who does both halves of the job.

What Do You Handle, and What Do We Handle?

As the owner, you'll usually:

• Contact the city or district to confirm sewer availability and requirements
• Pay the agency's connection or capacity fees directly to the agency
• Sign permit applications that have to come from the property owner
• Give us access to the yard and let us know about sprinklers, utilities or anything buried

We handle the field work: locating the tank and lines, trenching, the lateral, the tie-in, scheduling inspections, and pumping and abandoning the old tank.

What Affects the Timeline?

Most of the waiting happens before anyone digs. Permit review at the city, district or county can take a while, and inspections have to be scheduled with the agency. On site, the length and depth of the lateral matter, along with whether the work crosses a driveway, patio or the street, and whether we hit rock. We'll talk you through what to expect for your property when you call.

Selling a Home That's Still on Septic?

If you're in escrow and not ready to convert, an escrow septic inspection tells the buyer where the system stands. If you are converting, tell us your closing date so we can plan around it.

Wondering what moves the cost of a septic job in general? Our page on septic system cost factors explains it without made-up averages.

Sewer Conversion Questions

Do I have to connect to sewer when it reaches my street?

It depends on your city or sewer district. Some require nearby homes to connect within a set period, and others only require it when the septic system fails or the property is remodeled. The agency that runs the sewer sets the rule, so check with them.

What happens to my old septic tank?

It has to be abandoned the way your county requires. That usually means pumping it out, then crushing and filling it in place or removing it. We handle tank abandonment as part of the conversion.

Can a house that sits lower than the sewer main still connect?

Often, yes. When gravity flow won't work, a pump or lift system can push wastewater up to the main. Whether it's needed depends on the depth of the main and the layout of your property.

Can I keep using my septic system instead of connecting?

Sometimes. If your septic system is working and the local agency doesn't require a connection, you may be able to keep it. If it fails and sewer is nearby, the agency may require you to connect instead of repairing it.

More answers on our Septic FAQ, or read about our company.