Homes & vacation rentals
Our sewer line repair in Malibu, CA for homes covers the line from the house to the septic tank, or to the city sewer where there is one, with as little yard torn up as we can.
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Trusted Local Sewer Line Repair in Malibu, CA
In Malibu, the "sewer line" is usually the pipe to your septic tank. We camera it, find the break, and fix it with the least digging.
Written by Sergio, owner of Malibu Plumbing Pros. Last updated October 2026.
Here's something a lot of people new to Malibu don't know: your house is probably not on a sewer at all. The LA Times reported that Malibu became a city in 1991 largely to block sewers. So when you need sewer line repair in Malibu, CA, the pipe we're usually talking about is the one that runs from your house to your septic tank. It's still a sewer line. It just ends in your yard instead of under the street.
I'm Sergio. We fix that pipe: cracks, roots, sags, broken joints and old clay or cast iron that's given up. We're plumbers, not septic pumpers. If the tank itself needs pumping or work, I'll tell you and point you to a City-registered OWTS practitioner.
When Sewer Line Repair May Be the Right Next Step
Sound familiar? These are the calls we get most.
Toilets back up when it rains
Everything's fine until the ground gets wet, then the lowest drain in the house starts backing up.
Wet, smelly spot in the yard
A soggy patch that smells like sewage between the house and the tank.
Lowest drain backs up first
The downstairs shower or floor drain fills with dirty water when upstairs toilets flush.
Roots keep coming back
We cleared roots last year and they're back. They're getting in through a crack or a loose joint.
I'm buying or selling a house
You want to know the shape of the line before escrow, not after the new owners move in.
Rebuilding after the fire
Your house burned and you need to know if the old line to the tank can be used or needs replacing.
Sewer Line Repair in Malibu, CA for Homes & Businesses
Shops, restaurants & property managers
Restaurants, shops and rentals can't close for a week. We camera the line, plan the repair around your hours and keep the work area tight and clean.
Request Commercial QuoteOur Approach
Same four steps on every sewer line repair job.
- STEP 01
Camera the line
We run a camera through the pipe so you see the problem on the screen, not just hear about it.
- STEP 02
Locate and mark it
The camera head sends a signal up through the dirt, so we know exactly where and how deep to dig.
- STEP 03
Pick the right fix
Spot repair, trenchless lining or full replacement. I lay out each one with a price.
- STEP 04
Repair and re-check
We fix it, run the camera again so you see it's clear, and clean up the yard.
On this page
Long hillside lines and fire rebuilds
Hillside homes here can have long, steep runs from the house down to the tank, sometimes under decks, driveways or retaining walls. That's where sewer line repair in Malibu, CA gets tricky, and those are the jobs other plumbers price high and walk away from. The camera is what makes them doable. We find the one bad joint and fix that, not the whole hill.
Fire rebuilds are their own thing. After the Palisades Fire, the City of Malibu required that septic systems on fire-hit properties be pumped, capped and fitted with risers by a City-registered OWTS inspector by June 30, 2025, per Malibu Rebuilds. The City also says a damaged system must be inspected and approved before it's used again. The Malibu Times reported the fire took 320 beach homes and 141 land-side homes in Malibu, and the city has talked about building a sewer for some of them, which would take more than five years. Your septic inspector handles the tank. We handle the pipe to it.
Septic or sewer: what's under your Malibu yard
Most of Malibu uses onsite wastewater treatment systems, called OWTS. The City says there are two main kinds. A conventional system is a tank plus a dispersal area, where the liquid soaks into the ground. An advanced system adds treatment devices and disinfection. Every system needs a City operating permit, good for 5 years on conventional homes and 3 years on advanced ones. Not sure whats under your yard? The City keeps septic records the public can look up through its OnBase portal, per the same FAQ page.
The one big exception is the Civic Center area. Regional water officials prohibited septic systems there, and the City's treatment plant at Civic Center Way and Vista Pacifica opened in 2018 to serve it. Pacific Palisades is in the City of Los Angeles. If your home there is on city sewer, LA Sanitation says you own the whole lateral, the pipe from your house to the middle of the street, and that over 50% of sewer backups come from tree roots and grease.
Sewer line repair in Malibu, CA, step by step
- Clear and camera. If the line is backed up we clear it first, then run the camera all the way to the tank or sewer.
- Find the problem. Roots, a crack, a joint that pulled apart, or a belly, which is a low spot that holds water and waste.
- Choose the fix. A spot repair for one bad section. Trenchless lining for a long run that's cracked but still in place: a new pipe gets formed inside the old one through a small access hole, with no trench across your yard. Pipe bursting pulls a new pipe through as it breaks the old one. Full open-trench replacement when the pipe has collapsed or sags too much for a liner.
- Repair, test, re-camera. You see the fixed line on screen before we backfill.
Trenchless is great when it fits. It doesn't fit every pipe. A liner follows the old pipe, so a big sag stays a sag. I'll tell you straight which one your line needs.
How long, what it costs and permits
A camera inspection for sewer line repair in Malibu, CA takes about an hour. A spot repair usually takes a day. Lining or a full replacement can take one to three days, depending on length, depth and what's on top of the pipe.
You get the price before we start. For the national range, Angi's 2026 sewer line guide says most sewer line repairs run $1,100 to $4,100, about $2,600 on average. Trenchless repair runs $60 to $250 per foot, and digging and replacing runs $50 to $250 per foot. A camera inspection adds about $300 to $400.
Repairs and replacements need a plumbing permit. In Malibu that goes through City of Malibu Building Safety. In Pacific Palisades it's LADBS. We pull it and meet the inspector.
Keeping the line clear, and if it fails again
The best sewer line repair in Malibu, CA is the one you never need. The EPA says to have a home septic system inspected at least every three years and pumped every three to five years. Keep grease, wipes and paper towels out of the drains too. A full tank or a clogged drainfield can push waste back up the line, and that looks pretty much like a broken pipe from inside the house.
If a repair we made isn't right, call me. We come back and make it right. That's Sergio's Done-Right Guarantee. For a clog with no damage, see our drain cleaning page.
What to Expect
Here's what sewer line repair in Malibu, CA looks like with us.
Time: About an hour to camera the line. One day for most spot repairs. One to three days for lining or full replacement.
Mess: Trenchless means small access holes, not a trench. If we do dig, we pile dirt on tarps, protect plants and paths where we can and backfill when we're done. Replacing hardscape or landscaping is a separate trade and I'll say so up front.
Permits: Yes for repairs and replacement. We pull them through Malibu Building Safety or LADBS.
Cost: Price before work starts. National range is $1,100 to $4,100 for repairs, per Angi.
Last updated October 2026.
Sewer Line Repair in Malibu, CA FAQ
Straight answers to what people ask on the phone.
All plumbing FAQsDo you pump septic tanks?
No. We're plumbers, not septic pumpers. We repair and replace the pipe from your house to the tank, and the plumbing inside. Pumping and tank work is done by City-registered OWTS practitioners. If the camera shows the line is fine and the tank is full, I'll tell you that and you won't owe us for a repair you don't need.
What is a sewer camera inspection?
It's a small waterproof camera on a long cable that we push through the pipe. You watch on a screen and see roots, cracks or low spots for yourself. It also sends a signal so we can mark the exact spot on the ground. It's the step that keeps us from digging in the wrong place.
Is trenchless sewer line repair in Malibu, CA right for me?
If the old pipe is cracked or has roots but is still in one piece and sloped right, often yes. Lining needs only a small access hole. If the pipe has collapsed or has a big sag, a liner just copies the problem, so open repair is the better fix. The camera tells us which one you need.
How do I know if it's the line or the septic tank?
It's hard to tell from inside the house, since both cause backups. Clues: if the backup started after heavy use or it's been years since the tank was pumped, the tank may be full. If roots keep returning or there's a wet spot near the house, it's likely the line. A camera answers it fast.
Do you repair sewer lines in Topanga and the Palisades?
Yes. We cover Malibu, Topanga and Pacific Palisades. In the Palisades, if you're on city sewer, you own the line all the way to the middle of the street. In Topanga, it depends on your property. Either way we camera it first. See our Topanga and Pacific Palisades pages.