About two-thirds of Erwin homes were built before 1980, and about a quarter in 1939 or earlier, so sewer line repairs here usually involve old pipe with roots, cracks or corrosion. Harnett Regional Water owns the public sewer, and the line on your lot is yours. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Erwin.
Erwin doesn't have a town water or sewer department. Harnett County bought the town's water and sewer utilities in 2006, so the public sewer now belongs to Harnett Regional Water, and that's who to call about the main or billing. Erwin is a former cotton-mill town next to Dunn on the Cape Fear River, and its housing is old: median build year 1966, about two-thirds before 1980 and about 24% built in 1939 or earlier.
What to do right away
- Stop using water until the line is checked.
- Keep people and pets away from any wastewater.
- Ask neighbors whether they're backing up. If so, call Harnett Regional Water about the main.
- Look for a cleanout. Many older Erwin homes don't have one, or it's buried.
- Call to be connected with a plumber, noting which drains backed up first.
What the symptoms usually mean
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Clogs that return after cleaning | Roots in clay joints |
| Rust flakes or debris in a backup | Corroding cast iron |
| Several drains slow at once | Partial blockage in the main line |
| Soggy or sunken ground over the line | Broken or collapsed pipe |
| Odor in the yard or crawl space | Crack or open joint |
Cost factors
- Pipe depth and what's on top of it
- Old pipe material that may need special fittings
- How much of the line has failed, since very old lines often have several weak spots
- Spot repair, lining or full replacement
- Permits: Harnett County Inspections handles building inspections for Erwin under an interlocal agreement, after the Town grants a zoning permit
The fact sheets don't show where Harnett Regional Water's responsibility ends on a sewer service. If a camera finds the problem near the street, call the utility before paying for that part of the work.
With so many Erwin houses dating to the mill era and earlier, it's common for a line to have been patched more than once over the decades, sometimes with different materials. A camera run shows where those transitions are and how each section is holding up. That makes it easier to decide whether one more repair is worthwhile or whether replacing the run from the house to the street is the better use of money. Older homes may also need a cleanout added so the new line can be maintained.
Sewer Line Repair questions in Erwin
Where does my responsibility for the sewer pipe end and the utility's begin?
What are sewer pipes under older houses usually made of?
At what point does replacing the line make more sense than patching it?
Who issues the permit when a sewer line repair needs one?
More plumbing services in Erwin
Sewer Line Repair nearby
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