Sewer line repair in Kirkwood
Kirkwood's program spells out what it won't pay for, and the list includes roots, small cracks and pulled-apart joints that aren't yet letting water in. A camera can find all three in a line that still drains.
The houses
Kirkwood's housing is younger than Webster Groves' or Glendale's next door. 47% was built before 1960 and 17% before 1940, with a median build year of 1962. That is still thousands of homes from the 1950s or earlier.
The city's program
Applications go through the city's online portal with a $400 deposit. Once a repair is approved, the city covers three quarters of the low bid, and the bids must come from contractors on its approved list. The covered list begins with excavation, then pipe repair, backfill, sidewalks, driveways and streets, seed and straw. The fee behind it is St. Louis County's $28 a year, on the property tax bill.
The exclusions matter more than the coverage:
- Pipe in the house, beneath the basement floor, or within 1 foot of the foundation wall.
- Cutting out roots and debris.
- Small cracks and joints that have pulled apart but aren't taking in water yet.
- Decorative concrete, pavers, and landscaping beyond seed and straw.
So a line can be cracked, rooted at the joints and plainly worn out, and still fall outside the program because water isn't getting in yet. That is the condition lining suits: worn, but still round. If the program won't pay for it, whether to line now or wait for a failure is your decision, and the camera video is what to decide it on.
The rules say nothing about lining either way. If a lining bid is the lowest of yours, ask the Building Division in writing whether 75% of it qualifies.
Who to call
- A backup from the public sewer: MSD, 314-768-6260.
- The lateral program: Kirkwood Building Division, (314) 984-6942.
A sewer line in Kirkwood?
The company that answers this number can put a camera in the line and quote both lining and digging.
314-274-1839