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How Rye and Mamaroneck codes define the lateral

Updated October 30, 2026 · 3-minute read · Old House Sewer Lines

A sewer lateral, under the City of Rye and Village of Mamaroneck codes, is the private pipe that carries wastewater from a building to the public sanitary sewer main. Rye's § 161-16 defines it as "The sanitary sewer pipe running from the structures on a property conveying wastewater from the structure and connecting to the public sanitary sewer main" (City of Rye, Chapter 161 notice). The Village of Mamaroneck's § 282-13 uses the same definition (Village of Mamaroneck Code, Chapter 282).

Both codes then hand the entire pipe to the owner. Rye § 161-17A reads: "It is the sole responsibility of the private property owner to perform all required maintenance, repairs and replacements of sanitary sewer laterals". Village of Mamaroneck § 282-14A carries identical wording. Neither section splits the cost with the municipality or carves out the stretch nearest the main.

The upkeep standard

The two codes also set the condition a lateral must be kept in (Rye § 161-17, Village of Mamaroneck § 282-14). Roots, grease and solid buildup are not allowed in the pipe. Water may not seep in, and sewage may not leak out. Section 282-14E adds that "Lateral pipe joints shall be tight and all lateral pipes shall be free of any structure defects such as breaks, openings, and voids."

That standard matters because both codes attach deadlines to it. An owner who learns of a defect, or receives notice of one, has 60 days to repair it; after that the municipality may do the work and lien the cost against the property. Sale-time inspections test the same standard; see the Rye point-of-sale rules and the village certificate process.

What "inflow" means in these codes

The definitions sections go beyond the pipe itself. Each one names inflow sources barred from the sanitary system: among them roof leaders, sump pumps, cellar and yard drains, area and foundation drains, and any cross-connection between the storm and sanitary networks (Rye § 161-16, Village of Mamaroneck § 282-13). A certificate under either law requires a licensed plumber to confirm that none of those discharge into the sanitary line. The rules on illegal leader and sump hookups go further, and inflow and infiltration explains why towns care.

What the definitions leave open

Neither definition mentions the tap on the main or the section of pipe beneath a public road. The words run the lateral "to" the public main, and the responsibility sections cover the lateral as defined. Before digging in a street, owners in either municipality should confirm with the building department and public works office who handles any road opening and what permit applies; permit requirements were not confirmed for this site. See permits for sewer line work.

Neighbors should not assume the same words apply to them. The Town of Mamaroneck, whose county listing takes in Larchmont and part of the Village of Mamaroneck, has its own code, and its lateral wording could not be confirmed.

Background

The state plumbing code uses different terms for the same pipe. It calls the piping inside and just outside the house the building drain, which ends 30 inches past the exterior walls, and the run from there to the public sewer the building sewer (NYS Department of State). The local "lateral" therefore covers at least the building sewer. Westchester County's general description, which puts the lateral on the owner and the main on the municipality, matches both codes (Westchester County DEF).

Key facts

  • Rye § 161-16 and Village of Mamaroneck § 282-13 define the lateral as the pipe from the structure to the public sanitary sewer main.
  • Rye § 161-17A and Village of Mamaroneck § 282-14A make maintenance, repair and replacement the owner's sole responsibility (Village of Mamaroneck Code).
  • The upkeep standard bars root growth, grease and solids, and demands sound pipe without breaks or voids.
  • Leaders, sump pumps, cellar drains and foundation drains all count as banned inflow (City of Rye).
  • Owners have 60 days to repair a non-compliant lateral after notice.

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