Soggy Yard Over the Sewer Line? Signs of a Broken Pipe in Greeley

A wet, sunken or extra-green patch between the house and the street can be a broken sewer line. It can also be a water line or a sprinkler. The checks below tell you which in a few minutes, or call SewerProof Greeley 24/7 to talk to a local sewer pro.

Call (970) 771-0141Sewer, water or sprinkler?

Talk to a local sewer pro

Wet spot that smells?

Keep people and pets off it and call. A local sewer pro can tell you what to check first and what a camera visit costs.

Call (970) 771-0141
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  • Ask to see the camera footage
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  • Camera check before any dig
  • Price explained before work starts
  • Local Greeley-area sewer pros

Sewer line, water line or sprinkler?

Three pipes can make a yard soggy, and each leaks differently. A sewer line only carries water when something drains, so its wet spot smells and gets worse after showers and laundry. A water line is under pressure all the time, so it stays wet even when nothing runs. A sprinkler leak shows up near the heads after watering.

Soggy yard: sewer line, water line or sprinkler?A front yard cross-section from the house to the street. The sewer service line runs downhill from the house to the City sewer main and only carries water when something drains, so a crack makes a wet, smelly spot that gets worse after showers and laundry, often with greener grass and sometimes sinking ground. The water service line is under pressure all the time, so a leak stays wet even when nothing is running and the water meter keeps moving. In Greeley the City maintains the water line up to the curb stop near the street. A sprinkler leak is wet near the heads and mostly after watering.HouseStreetSewer mainCurb stopSewer line: wet + smell, worse after water useWater line: always wet, meter movesSprinkler: wet near heads, after wateringIn Greeley, your sewer line runs from the house to the main. The City’s water line responsibility ends at the curb stop;the water pipe from the curb stop to the house is yours. Simplified drawing, not to scale.

Knowing which pipe it is tells you who to call and who pays. Sewer and water problems on your side of the line are usually yours; problems in the street are usually the City’s.

On this page 9 sections
  1. How to tell which pipe is leaking
  2. Simple checks before you call
  3. Signs it’s a broken sewer line
  4. Why a sewer line leaks in the yard
  5. Is it dangerous?
  6. How a broken sewer line in the yard gets fixed
  7. What it usually costs
  8. Who’s responsible in Greeley?
  9. Frequently asked questions

How to tell which pipe is leaking

Match what you see to the most likely pipe:

What you notice

Most likely

Why

Wet spot smells like sewage

Sewer line

Sewage only comes from the sewer line

Gets wetter after laundry, showers or flushing

Sewer line

Drain water leaks out where the pipe is cracked

A green, fast-growing stripe of grass

Often the sewer line

Leaking sewage feeds the grass along the pipe

Wet even when no water is running in the house

Water line

It’s under pressure all the time

Water meter moves with every tap turned off

Water line

Water is leaving the pipe somewhere

Wet near sprinkler heads, mainly after watering

Sprinkler line

Its own pipes and valves

Ground sinking or a hole over the line

Often a broken sewer line

Soil washes into the broken pipe

Simple checks before you call

These take a few minutes and help a pro find the problem faster:

  • 1 Smell it. A sewage smell at the wet spot points straight to the sewer line.
  • 2 Turn off every tap and watch the water meter. If it still moves, water is leaking from a water pipe, not the sewer.
  • 3 Shut off the sprinklers for a couple of days. If the spot dries out, it was the sprinkler system.
  • 4 Run the washer and watch the spot. If it gets wetter after a big drain, the sewer line is the likely cause.
  • 5 Find your cleanout. The sewer line usually runs from it toward the street. A wet spot on that path is a strong clue.
  • 6 Ask about a dye test. A sewer pro can flush a dye down a toilet and watch whether it shows up in the wet spot.

Already seeing slow drains or gurgling inside too? See what gurgling drains mean.

Smelly wet spot in the yard?

Call any time, day or night. A local sewer pro can tell you whether it sounds like the sewer line and what a camera check costs.

Call (970) 771-0141

Signs it’s a broken sewer line

A broken sewer line in a Greeley yard usually shows more than one of these:

  • Soggy patch that won’t dry Stays wet between storms and waterings, often in the same spot every time.
  • Sewage smell outside Strongest near the wet spot or the cleanout, worse after the house uses water.
  • Sinking ground or a hole Soil washes into a broken pipe and leaves a dip. Keep people, pets and mowers off it.
  • A green stripe Grass grows faster and greener along the line where sewage leaks.
  • Problems inside too Slow drains, gurgling or a floor drain backing up often go with a broken line.
  • Clogs that keep coming back A break can catch waste and roots, so the line clogs again soon after clearing.
Cracked sewer pipe leaking into the soil under a soggy yard in Greeley
A cracked sewer pipe leaks wastewater into the soil, which is what makes the yard above it soggy.

Why a sewer line leaks in the yard

Most breaks start small and grow over years. These are the usual causes:

  • Tree roots Roots find a loose joint, grow inside and push it apart. See tree roots in a sewer line.
  • A sag in the line A low spot holds waste and puts stress on the joints around it. See sewer line belly.
  • Old pipe materials Clay joints can separate, and older fiber or cast iron pipe can crack, flatten or rust through with age.
  • Ground movement Along the Front Range, the Colorado Geological Survey notes that swelling clay soils can disrupt pipelines and sewer lines. That’s a regional risk, not a diagnosis of any one yard.

Is it dangerous?

Sewage in the yard isn’t safe to touch. Keep children and pets away from the wet spot and don’t let them play in the area until it’s fixed.

A dip or hole over the line can get bigger without warning if soil keeps washing into the pipe. Mark it off and stay off it with mowers and vehicles.

Before anyone digs

Colorado 811 marks public utility lines for free. Contact it at least two full business days before digging. It doesn’t mark private lines such as sprinkler pipes, and the homeowner is responsible for having private lines found.

  • Ask who calls 811 for the job
  • Point out sprinkler lines and valves
  • Ask how the lawn will be restored

How a broken sewer line in the yard gets fixed

It starts with seeing the pipe. A camera goes in from the cleanout and shows where the break is and how far from the house:

  • One bad spot A spot repair fixes that section through a small dig, often over the wet spot itself.
  • Cracks along the line Lining or pipe bursting can renew the line through small access points. See trenchless sewer repair.
  • Collapsed or worn out A full sewer line replacement may be the better long-term fix.

Ask for a copy of the camera video and a written scope that includes how the lawn will be put back. See what a sewer camera inspection shows.

What it usually costs

The camera check comes first, and it decides the rest. Many breaks are fixed with a spot repair instead of a new line.

Step

Typical price

Sewer camera check

About $175 to $350

Clearing the line first, if it’s clogged

About $125 to $315

Full replacement in Greeley

Typically up to about $6,500

Spot repairs and lining fall in between and depend on depth and access. See sewer line repair costs for the full range.

Who’s responsible in Greeley?

For sewer, the City maintains the sewer mains, and residents are responsible for their own service line from the house to the main, including the part under the yard.

For water, the City says its responsibility ends at the curb stop near the street. The water pipe from the curb stop to the house is the homeowner’s.

When it’s the City’s problem

Water bubbling up in the street, or several yards wet at once, may be a City main. The City runs a 24/7 line for sewer emergencies in its mains.

Outside Greeley? Towns set their own rules. See the towns we serve.

Frequently asked questions

Usually a crack or separated joint is letting wastewater leak into the soil. A smell or a spot that gets wetter after laundry points to the sewer line.

Turn off every tap and watch the water meter. If it moves, it’s a water line. If the spot smells or gets wetter after you use water, it’s more likely the sewer line.

Sewage isn’t safe to touch, and sinking ground can open up. Keep kids, pets and mowers away until it’s fixed.

Leaking sewage feeds the grass, so it grows faster along the pipe. A green stripe from the house toward the street is a common sign of a leak.

The homeowner. In Greeley the service line from the house to the City main is the resident’s responsibility, including the part under the yard.

Often. Lining or pipe bursting can work through small access points, and one bad spot can be fixed through a small dig. A camera check shows which fits.

A camera check usually costs about $175 to $350. Many breaks need only a spot repair, and full replacements in Greeley typically run up to about $6,500.

Call about a soggy yard in Greeley

Tell a local sewer pro where the wet spot is, whether it smells and whether drains inside are slow. Ask for the price before work starts and for the camera footage. Call any time, day or night, about a soggy yard over the sewer line in Greeley or a nearby town. See our main page on sewer line repair in Greeley.

Call (970) 771-0141