When a parkway street tree's roots invade your sewer line, it's natural to ask who's responsible. Here's what you should know.
Written byNew Pro Plumbing·Reviewed byMiguel Lopez, Owner & Licensed Plumber, New Pro Plumbing (CSLB #974600)·Last reviewedSeptember 2026 · 8 min readQuick Answer
Parkway street tree roots often grow into nearby sewer laterals through joints and cracks. In the City of Los Angeles, LA Sanitation describes the lateral as the property owner's responsibility to maintain and repair, including the lower section toward the main. Trenchless lining or bursting can seal the line without harming the tree. In Mar Vista, mature ficus and other parkway trees above original clay laterals make this one of the most common local issues.
Street trees in the parkway, the strip between sidewalk and curb, are often planted right above the sewer lateral's route to the main. As the trees mature, their roots follow moisture into any open joint or crack in the pipe below. The result is a root mass that grows every year. This page is part of our complete guide to sewer line repair in Mar Vista.
Street Tree Sewer Damage: Street tree sewer damage is root intrusion and cracking in a private sewer lateral caused by trees planted in the public parkway.
Owners understandably ask whether the City pays when its tree damages their pipe. In general, the lateral is the owner's responsibility to maintain, and questions about the tree itself go to the City's urban forestry program. What we can do is repair the lateral in a way that doesn't harm the tree: seal it from the inside so the roots have no way in.
In Mar Vista, mature ficus and other parkway trees above original clay laterals make this one of the most common local issues. Mature ficus in Mar Vista parkways are well known for aggressive roots.
We map the lateral's route relative to the tree.
We clear the roots from inside the pipe.
Lining or bursting from your side, away from the tree's roots.
Footage and records for your files.
Camera first, always. Every recommendation starts with a recorded inspection you can watch yourself, and a flat-rate price you approve before we start.
Few neighborhoods illustrate this better than Mar Vista. Mature street trees, ficus in particular, line many blocks, planted decades ago in parkways directly above original clay laterals. Their roots have been finding the clay joints for years, and the lower lateral under the parkway is often the most damaged part of the line. We hear the same question often: will the City fix it? Generally, the lateral is the owner's responsibility. Our job is to fix it without touching the tree: cut the roots from inside, then seal the line with a liner or new HDPE.
From the flats near Centinela to the hill streets near the Santa Monica border, Mar Vista homes tend to share one thing underground: an aging lateral that has rarely been replaced. Mature street trees, ficus especially, send roots toward the moisture at every clay joint. We explain what we find in plain English or Spanish, and we don't sell work the camera doesn't support.
Not sure what your line needs? We camera it first, then quote a flat rate.
Get a Free Quote| Detail | Mar Vista |
|---|---|
| Area | Mar Vista, CA 90066 |
| Jurisdiction | City of Los Angeles |
| Permits | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) |
| Typical access | A cleanout or fixture; targeted excavation only when needed |
| First step | Camera inspection with a copy of the recording |
| Pricing | Flat-rate, in writing, before work starts |
| Availability | 24/7, including weekends and holidays |
| License | CSLB #974600, insured |
| Languages | English and Spanish |
Mar Vista sits in City of LA limits, which means LADBS handles the permit and the inspection for sewer lateral work. Under LA Sanitation's rules, the property owner maintains and repairs the entire lateral, including the lower portion that runs under the parkway or street. We pull the permits and schedule the inspection, so you don't have to deal with the paperwork.
Example scenario below is illustrative, based on common situations we see. Details vary by property; not a specific customer.
A Mar Vista owner's lateral backs up every year, and the camera shows the parkway ficus roots in the lower lateral.
We cut the roots from inside the pipe and line the lower and upper lateral from the cleanout.
The backups stop, and the street tree is left entirely undisturbed.
When you call New Pro from Mar Vista, a real person answers, and a licensed plumber handles the work, not a subcontractor you've never met. We price by the job, not the hour, so the flat rate you approve is the amount you pay. Our goal is simple: fix it right once, so you don't have to call us back for the same problem.
Also serving neighborhoods near Mar Vista: Del Rey, Culver City, Westdale, Mar Vista Hill. See all Westside service areas.
The Bottom Line
Street trees and sewer laterals share the same strip of ground. We seal your lateral from the inside so the roots stay out and the tree stays healthy.
Generally, the lateral is the owner’s responsibility under LA Sanitation’s description. For questions about the tree itself, contact the City’s urban forestry program. City street trees in LA are on public property, and the tree itself is handled through the City’s urban forestry program. The sewer lateral, though, is the owner’s responsibility, per LASAN’s lateral information page.
Work on a City street tree typically requires authorization. Our repairs happen inside the pipe and don’t involve cutting the tree’s roots in the parkway. Roots enter through defects in the pipe, not through sound joints. Sealing the entry points by lining the lateral removes the root problem without touching the tree.
A continuous liner removes the joints the roots were using, so they have no entry point. Cutting or damaging a City street tree without a permit can carry a fine. Our repair approach doesn’t require any tree work.
No. Sealing the pipe lets the tree and the sewer coexist. For owner-side trees on your own property, we can suggest tree-friendly landscaping and pipe placement changes for future work. See our tree roots page.
Questions about the tree go to the City’s urban forestry program. Your lateral repair is handled separately, from inside the pipe. For a Mar Vista City street tree, LA’s Street Tree Division handles the tree; the pipe fix is on the owner. Our lining approach doesn’t require tree work.
This page was written by the New Pro Plumbing content team and reviewed for technical accuracy by Miguel Lopez, owner and California-licensed plumber (CSLB #974600). Agency rules are summarized from the official sources above; programs and requirements can change, so confirm current details with the agency. Nothing here is a quote. We confirm scope and pricing in writing before any work begins.
What’s new: September 2026, first publication.
When a parkway street tree's roots invade your sewer line, it's natural to ask who's responsible. Here's what you should know.
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