Trenchless sewer repair and installation

What trenchless means

Trenchless is not one method. It is a group of ways to fix or replace a pipe without opening the ground along its whole length. Three come up most often on homes:

• Pipe lining. A resin liner goes into the old pipe and hardens in place, forming a new pipe inside the old one.
• Pipe bursting. A new pipe is pulled through the path of the old one, breaking the old pipe apart as it goes.
• Boring a new line. A new pipe is drilled underground along a route, which can suit a new installation.

All three usually still need an opening or two to reach the ends of the pipe. Less digging is the realistic promise. No digging is not.

We look before we recommend

The method depends on what is inside your pipe, so a drain camera inspection comes first. We clear the line if it is blocked, then look at its condition, where it runs and how deep it is.

You can watch the camera with us. We show you what we see and tell you which options fit your line.

When trenchless may not work

• A collapsed section. A liner needs an open path to travel through.
• A sag in the line. A liner follows the shape of the old pipe, so a low spot stays low.
• Joints that have shifted badly. The pipe may need to be opened and realigned first.
• Tight bends and branch lines. These can limit the method or add work.
• No good place to get in. The ends of the pipe have to be reachable.

If digging is the better repair, we will say so. A dug sewer repair can be the right call for one bad section, and a new sewer line may make more sense if the old route has to change.

What to plan for

• Underground services. Buried gas, hydro and other lines have to be located before any digging or boring. In Ontario, that starts with Ontario One Call.
• Permits. Ask what applies to your job, and who is applying, before work starts.
• Water use. You may need to limit how much water goes down the drains during the work.
• The City's side. A problem can sit on the public side of the line. See the note below.

Financing through Financeit

Financing is available through Financeit for eligible residential projects. Ask Waterworks about the options for your job. Financing is subject to credit approval. Terms and conditions apply.