Who owns the sewer pipe under my front yard in Ottawa?

The City of Ottawa splits it at the property line. The City says it is responsible for the portion of the sanitary and storm sewer laterals from the property line to the street, and the homeowner is responsible for the portion from the property line to the home. There may also be shared responsibility if a lateral requiring repair or replacement crosses the property line.

So the part of the lateral that runs under your own front yard, between your house and the property line, is the homeowner's portion. Where exactly your property line sits is a question for your survey or the City, not something to guess from where the lawn ends.

For a buyer, the question is what a home inspection tells you about that pipe. The federal Office of Consumer Affairs describes a home inspection as a non-invasive, visual evaluation, and says the report is limited to the areas the inspector can see or has access to. A buried lateral is not something a visual inspection sees. We found no government guidance that recommends a sewer camera scope at purchase, no licence or standard for that work, and too few independent published prices to show a range.

What you can do:

• Ask the inspectors who reply whether they offer a sewer scope, or who does, and get the price in writing as its own line.
• For drain repair, camera work and relining as a plumbing service, see ottawaplumbingpro.ca.
• If the lateral matters to your offer, how to deal with it in a condition is a question for your agent or lawyer.

Ontario.ca's list of what an inspector will typically examine includes drainage away from buildings, slopes and natural vegetation, which is the part of the site a visual inspection does cover.

If a scope is on your list, ask for it in writing before the inspection day so the inspector or the plumber can plan the visit.