Selma maintains its own sewer collection system, and Johnston County treats the wastewater, so a sewer line replacement here means new pipe from your house to the town's line. With over half of Selma's homes built before 1980, original laterals are often the culprit. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Selma.
The Town of Selma's collection system includes 19 sewer lift stations, and Johnston County's interceptor carries the flow to the Central Johnston County Regional Wastewater Facility. The town handles its mains and lift stations; the lateral on your lot is the owner's. Selma is a railroad town on I-95 with older housing: the median home was built in 1974 and about 55% predate 1980, per ACS 2019-2023 estimates. Homes in the Downtown Selma and West Selma historic districts are the most likely to still have clay or cast iron laterals.
What to do now
- Stop running water into a line that's backing up.
- Figure out the scope: one drain or the whole house.
- Call the Town of Selma's water and sewer operations if the problem could be in the town's main or at a lift station.
- Find the cleanout or the spot where the line leaves the house.
- Have the line cleaned and filmed so you know whether you're looking at roots, a break or worn-out pipe throughout.
- Keep records of each cleaning; repeat visits are part of the case for replacing.
Signs and their usual causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Roots on the cable after every cleaning | Root intrusion at clay joints |
| Rust flakes and scale | Corroding cast iron |
| Backups that return within weeks | A break or collapse cleaning can't fix |
| Slow drains after rain | Groundwater entering cracked pipe |
| Sunken strip in the yard | Soil washing into a broken line |
What drives the price
Length and depth of the line, whether trenchless bursting or lining will work or a trench is needed, what's over the route, and whether cast iron inside the house is part of the job. Selma's permits page lists two steps: zoning approval from the Town of Selma first, then Johnston County Building Inspections. The page doesn't name the plumbing permit office specifically, so the plumber will confirm before work starts and arrange the inspection before backfill.
On older Selma lots, big trees and porches often sit over the line. If the old pipe is still close to grade, pipe bursting can replace it with small pits at each end instead of a long trench. Calling the number on this page connects you with an independent local plumber who serves Selma.
Sewer Line Replacement questions in Selma
What were older sewer laterals usually made of?
Does a sewer line replacement need a permit, and who issues it?
Should I contact the sewer utility before I hire a plumber?
What tells a plumber the whole sewer line should be replaced, not just repaired?
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