Key takeaways
- Start with your bills. A sewer charge on your utility bill usually means city sewer. No city water bill or meter can point to a private well.
- Look at the yard. A buried tank has access lids. A cleanout pipe near the house is common to both systems.
- Ask for the records. The deed, building permit and design plans often say, and your local permitting authority can send a copy of the septic permit and drawing.
- The two systems fail differently. A septic problem is yours from the tank on. A sewer problem may be yours or the city's.
- Don't guess before you call. Tell the plumber which you think you have, and what you checked.
Why it matters
When a drain backs up, the first question is where the water goes next. In a house on city sewer, wastewater leaves through a pipe that runs to a public main. In a house on septic, it goes into a buried tank and then into a drain field in the yard. The two need different care, different professionals and different first calls.
- On city sewer, the property owner is responsible for the building sewer on private property, according to Johnson City's code. The public main in the street belongs to the city. If many homes on the street back up together, call the utility.
- On septic, there is no utility to call. The whole system, tank to field, is yours to maintain.
How to tell: six places to look
### 1. Your utility bill
Look at the water and sewer bill. A sewer line item or sewer charge usually means you are connected to a public sewer. The EPA notes that you may not get a water bill at all if you have a private well.
Johnson City Water & Sewer Services serves customers inside the city. Its customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you aren't sure whether your address is on its sewer, ask.
### 2. Your water meter and source
The EPA says that if the water line coming into your home has no meter, you may have a private well and not public utility water. Many homes on a well also have septic, though not all do. If you are on a well, the well pump repair page explains how those systems work.
### 3. Your yard
A septic system has parts you can sometimes see:
- Access lids or risers over the tank.
- A cleanout or vent pipe.
- A drain field area, which you shouldn't build on, plant over or drive across.
A house on city sewer usually has a cleanout, a capped pipe near the house or at the property line, but no tank. A cleanout alone does not rule out septic, so don't treat it as proof.
Don't dig to find a tank. Hitting a lid, a pipe or a buried line is a safety risk and can damage the system. A pumper or septic professional can probe for it.
### 4. Your basement or crawlspace
Look for where the main drain pipe leaves the house. It is the largest drain pipe, and it runs out through the foundation. Follow it outside. If it heads toward a street or an alley, it likely goes to a public main. If it heads toward the yard, it may go to a tank.
### 5. Your property records
The EPA says the property deed, building permit and design plans for your home often show whether it has a septic system. Your closing papers, the home inspection report and any past pumping receipts can also say.
### 6. The local permitting authority
The EPA says a septic system is typically permitted and inspected by the local permitting authority, such as the local health or environmental department. You can ask them for a copy of the septic record drawing (the as-built design) and the permits. They may show when the system was installed. If you can't find your tank, they can also give you a list of septic professionals who find tanks.
If you still aren't sure, ask the utility whether your address is on its sewer. If it is not, you are probably on septic.
What each system needs
### City sewer
- Keep the building sewer clear. Root intrusion, grease and "flushable" wipes cause most clogs. The main sewer line clog page explains what to do first.
- Know where your cleanout is, so a plumber can reach the line quickly.
- Ask about backflow protection if your basement or lowest floor is below the sewer connection. Johnson City's code requires the owner to provide check valves or other backflow prevention devices in that case.
- If the pipe is damaged, see sewer line repair.
### Septic
The EPA says household septic tanks are typically pumped every three to five years, and that the average household septic system should be inspected at least every three years by a septic service professional. How often depends on household size, the amount of wastewater, the solids in it and the size of the tank. Systems with pumps or float switches need inspection more often, generally once a year.
- Keep records of pumping, inspections and repairs.
- Protect the drain field. The EPA says not to build on it, and not to plant trees, shrubs or vegetables on it.
- Limit what goes down the drain. The EPA advises limiting garbage disposal use and keeping fats, grease and solids out.
- Spread out water use. A lot of water at once, from a leak or back-to-back laundry, can push solids into the field.
The septic services page covers what a visit involves, and drain field repair explains what a failing field looks like.
Rural areas around Johnson City
Johnson City and its surrounding communities cover parts of Washington, Carter and Sullivan counties. Homes inside the city are served by the city's sewer, but not every home in the area is. Outside sewer service areas, many homes use septic, and the right information is usually on the property's records. If you are buying a house outside the city, ask the seller whether it is on septic or sewer, and ask for the septic record and the last pumping date.
When the signs conflict
Sometimes the clues disagree. A house may have a sewer bill but also an old tank in the yard that was never removed. A house on septic may have a cleanout that looks like a city one. In that case:
- Ask the utility whether the address is on its sewer.
- Ask the local permitting authority for the septic permit and drawing.
- Have a plumber run a camera down the line to see where it goes. See sewer camera inspection.
Switching from septic to sewer
If sewer service becomes available at your address, you may be able to connect and stop using your septic system. Who to ask:
- The sewer utility. Ask Johnson City Water & Sewer Services, or whichever utility serves your street, whether sewer is available at your address and what the process is.
- The local permitting authority for permits tied to the connection and to closing the old tank.
- A licensed plumber or contractor, who can tell you what the work involves on your property. Ask for it in writing.
We make no claims here about what a switch costs, because it depends on the utility's rules, your distance from the main and the work involved. For what plumbing work can cost, with sources, see plumbing costs.
When a drain backs up
Which system you have decides what to do next:
- On sewer, read the sewer backup in the basement guide. Stop using water, stay out of standing sewage, and work out whether the blockage is in your line or the city's.
- On septic, stop using water too. A full tank or a failing drain field can back up into the house, and a septic professional needs to pump and inspect the tank.
When to stop and call
Call a licensed professional when:
- A drain keeps backing up after you clear it.
- You smell sewage in the house or the yard.
- The yard over the field is wet or has a bad smell.
- You can't tell whether you have septic or sewer, and you need to have work done.
- You are buying a house and want the system inspected.
Safety
- Septic tanks hold gas and can be dangerous. Never open one or lean over it.
- Keep lids secure and keep children and pets away from them.
- Don't drive or park over the tank or the field.