Exploring Your Connection to the Public Sewer
There are several ways to determine how your property connects to the public sewer.
Search Your Property Address Online
At http://www.portlandmaps.com/, you can view maps of public sewer lines that serve your neighborhood, and you may also be able to see your private sewer connections. You can also look at permit history for your property. PortlandMaps will not show information about unpermitted work at your property or work done before the city computerized these records.
Titles and Easements
Your property title documents may have information about your property's sewer connection, especially if there are any easements pertaining to your property.You can also request easement information from Multnomah County for your address.
Sewer Scopes
A sewer scope is the best and most reliable source of sewer connection information. Most plumbing contractors can do sewer scopes and they typically charge between $100 and $200. The scope will show if your property has a legal, direct connection to the public sewer, a party sewer connection to the public sewer, if you own a host or guest property, or if you own a private sewer line in the public right-of-way.
If you determine that your property has a nonconforming sewer connection, the scope will show the exact location of your private sewer line on your property, a neighboring property, or in the public right-of-way. It will also show if your private sewer line is in good condition or in need of repair.
Planning Ahead
It's important to know if your property has a nonconforming sewer connection. Many property owners don't discover a nonconforming connection until their private sewer line fails or permitted construction in the public right-of-way damages an undetected private sewer.
Determining if your property has a nonconforming sewer connection gives you time to budget and plan for correcting it. And correcting the nonconforming connection before construction in the right-of-way damages your private sewer line or your line fails can help you avoid the high cost of emergency sewer repairs.