Regulations...

Dye Test - Sewer Lateral

It is the homeowners' responsibility to retain the services of a licensed plumber registered to work in Allegheny County who has also registered with the Borough to conduct sewer lateral/dye testing under the guidance of the Borough's Superintendent of Sewers.  The homeowner chooses a plumber from the Borough's List of Registered Plumbers.  The plumber then contacts the Superintendent of Sewers to schedule the dye test.  Please be advised that a sewer lateral/dye test should be scheduled as soon as the house is listed as there is usually at least a two-week waiting period.

It is helpful to have the sewer lateral/dye testing done as soon as possible in case the sewer lateral fails.   Tests are valid for one (1) year.  If the lateral fails, you MUST have either the corrections repaired prior to closing or place the amount of the repair cost in escrow with the Borough and execute a Sewer Lateral Defects Agreement.

Ordinance No. 510 PDF Icon

Fees
The Borough charges a fee for the dye test.  Plumbers will have a separate fee.  It is recommended that homeowners obtain proposals from more than one plumber as the costs can vary widely.

Effective January 1, 2005, a Dye Test Payment Application must be submitted and the application fee paid prior to any testing being done.

Sewer Inspections
All building sewer inspections will be conducted during the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 2:30 P.M. All inspections will be BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. All inspection appointments must be made no later than between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 9:00 A.M. of the desired inspection date.  There will be a reinspection fee imposed when the contractor/homeowner calls for an inspection and is not ready when the sanitary sewer inspector arrives.  Note: For all new construction the Sanitary Sewer Department must perform a reinspection of the sanitary sewer system prior to occupancy. The appointment for the pre-occupancy inspection must be made by 2:30 P.M. at least 7 days in advance of the desired inspection date.

Dye Test/Sewer Lateral  Procedures
Prior to selling a home, a sewer lateral/dye test must be performed on the home’s sewer lateral/drainage system to ensure that there are no defects or connections that would allow extraneous water to enter the sanitary sewer.  This test is required each time a house is sold. A no-lien letter, required by most lending institutions for closings, will not be issued by the Borough until a sewer lateral dye test has been completed and any deficiencies corrected or money placed in escrow with the Borough to ensure that the deficiencies will be corrected.  Only plumbers registered with Fox Chapel Borough may conduct certification testing. (Plumbers' Regulations/Forms) Once the homeowner chooses a plumber from the Registered Plumbers List, the plumber then contacts the Borough's Superintendent of Sewers at 412/963-1100 to schedule a dye test. The Borough charges a fee for the dye test, the plumber will have a separate fee.  It is strongly recommended that homeowners obtain fee schedules, estimates and bids from more than one plumber.

Key components of the process include...

  • Access to the inside of the house is necessary to check if there are any sump pumps illegally tied into the sanitary sewer.

  • Dye is placed in all downspouts - downhill manholes are then checked to see if any dye is present. If dye is seen, that indicates an illegal connection exists which must be corrected.

  • Dye is placed in all areaway drains - downhill manhole is then checked to see if any dye is present. If dye is seen, that indicates an illegal connection exists which must be corrected.

  • Fresh air vent (vents sewer gas) - must be above surface of ground. If the fresh air vent is not above surface, it must be raised.

  • Sewer lateral - dye is injected into ground near the fresh air vent to see if it is absorbed into lateral. If dye is seen in a downhill manhole, then cracks/fractures are present and the lateral must be repaired or replaced.

  • Swimming pools and hot tubs MUST be connected into sanitary sewer system as it is illegal for chemicals to be drained onto the ground where they could penetrate the water table or flow into a stream.

In conjunction with its testing program, the Borough uses a closed-circuit television camera to inspect the inside of the sewer lateral.  The cost of this inspection is included in the fee the Borough charges for each dye test.  If you decide to have your sewer inspected on your own, shop around!  Prices to inspect the same sewer can range from a couple hundred dollars to close to one thousand dollars depending on which plumber you choose!