The city’s efforts to regularly maintain and clean its sewer pipes are important to keeping the City of Carlsbad clean and preventing sewer spills from reaching nearby creeks, lagoons and beaches. As part of their maintenance work, the city uses Closed Circuit Television, or CCTV, to inspect and ensure the integrity of the sewer pipes. A combination vacuum and jet truck is used to clean the sewer lines. Manholes located in canyons and on personal property must be regularly inspected for root growth and other problems.

The pipes that run from a home and connect to a sewer main (typically in the middle of the street) are called laterals and are the responsibility of the property owner. Sewer mains, which convey waste from the lateral connection onward, are the responsibility of the city.

The City of Carlsbad developed its Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP), revised version certified July 11, 2011, in compliance with the State Water Resources Control Board Order No. 2006-0003 and the Region 9 Water Quality Control Board Order No. R9-2007-0005.

Please send your comments on how the City is operating and maintaining the sewer system to wastewater@carlsbadca.gov or call 760-438-2722.