If your older Winnipeg house has a bad sewer line, you have three choices. You can repair it before you sell, you can sell as-is and let the buyer price it in, or you can get a camera inspection first so everyone knows exactly what they’re dealing with. One fact surprises most Winnipeg owners: you own the sewer pipe all the way to the City’s main, including the section under the street. That’s why a collapsed line here can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and why it pays to know where you stand before a buyer asks.
You Own More Pipe Than You Think
The City of Winnipeg is clear on this. Property owners own the sewer pipe that serves their property, from the house to where it connects with the City’s sewer main, including the portion under the street. Owners are responsible for maintaining and repairing it. The City says it isn’t responsible for sewer backups unless it was negligent.
That matters in older neighbourhoods. Vitrified clay sewer pipe was widely used in North America into the mid-1950s. It is brittle and can let roots in at the joints. The City notes that tree roots don’t break sewer lines on their own, but they will take advantage of an existing crack. Once they’re in, they grow, and the line slowly blocks or collapses.
A Real Example: My Mom’s House
The sewer story I know best isn’t from a house I bought. It’s my mom’s house, and I’m the one who handled the fix. In 2021 the house started having sewer backups. The cause turned out to be roots, and the sewer line had collapsed. The only fix was to dig down and reconnect the pipes.
The repair cost about $15,000. Her insurance covered it, which was great, but the job itself was no fun. We had to dig up the front yard, tear through the landscaping, and put it all back afterward. It’s a lot of work and a lot of disruption, and the house has no working sewer while it’s being done. We learned the hard way that a backup isn’t just a cleanup problem. It can be the first sign that the line itself has failed.
What a Repair Can Cost in Winnipeg
Costs depend on where the break is and how deep the line runs. My mom’s repair was about $15,000. Winnipeg news coverage shows how high it can go when the problem is under the street. In 2025, Global News reported on a Winnipeg landlord who paid about $40,000 to fix a broken pipe between the house and the City line. In a 2021 case, the City offered a homeowner about $28,000 to replace a line its own crew had damaged.
When the City helps, and when it doesn’t
If the blockage is on your property, you hire a licensed sewer contractor. They pull the permits, excavate, and book the City inspection. The City recommends getting three estimates, and repairs typically leave the house without sewer service for three to five business days.
If the problem is in your pipe under the City’s street, the City has a financial assistance program that may pay for the repair through a City-arranged contractor. It has limits:
- It covers only the section of your pipe under the City’s street.
- It applies only to owner-occupied single-family homes, or two-family homes where the owner lives in one unit.
- It excludes routine cleaning, pipes that are or were frozen, and pipes replaced in the last 12 months.
- The City may require you to pay for a second cleaning and a video inspection first.
That means landlords, vacant houses and estates where nobody lives in the home usually pay the full bill, even for the section under the street.
Why I Clean Out the Sewer on Every Older House I Buy
When I buy an older home, one of the first things I do is bring in my sewer contractor. Right after we take possession, we have the line cleaned out. It gives me peace of mind before we start renovating, because the last thing you want is a backup in the middle of a project. If my sewer contractor finds something unusual, we act on it right away and investigate further, before we’ve finished a basement over the problem.
Older houses deserve extra caution for another reason. In Winnipeg, a backwater valve has been required by law only in homes built after 1979, and a sump pit only in homes built since 1990. Most older houses in the North End, West End, St. James and Elmwood predate both. The City’s old basement flooding protection subsidy for those upgrades was cancelled years ago, so any article still quoting it is out of date.
What to Do If an Inspection Shows a Bad Line
When we buy a house, we buy it as-is, so we don’t usually need an inspection. But some houses tell you something is going on. Maybe the owner mentions sewer backups two or three years ago. Maybe I walk into the basement and there’s a sewage smell. When I see signs like that, I talk to the seller about it openly.
I usually give them two options. The first is that I buy the house as it is and take the whole headache off their hands. The second is that we bring in a camera inspection, for peace of mind on both sides. If the camera shows the line is actually fine, I can offer more, because I’m no longer pricing in a repair I can’t see. Going in blind means building in a cushion for the worst case.
If you’re selling and the camera has already shown a bad line, you have the same choices:
- Repair it before listing, with three estimates and permits, so the issue is closed when a buyer asks.
- Disclose it and adjust the price so a regular buyer can plan for the repair.
- Sell as-is to a cash buyer who handles the repair after closing.
Our guide on whether cash buyers require a home inspection explains what to expect, and how cash buyers calculate an offer shows how a known repair changes the number. If backups have already damaged the basement, see our guide to selling a house with water damage in Winnipeg.
Does Insurance Cover a Sewer Problem?
Sometimes. In my mom’s case, her insurance covered the repair. But don’t assume. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says sewer backup damage is typically excluded from a standard home policy, and most insurers offer sewer backup coverage as an optional add-on. Some insurers require a backwater valve after a backup claim. Read your policy, or call your broker, before the next backup rather than after it.
If you’d rather not dig up the yard at all, our page on your options for selling a house as-is in Winnipeg compares the routes, or you can get a free cash offer and compare it with your repair quotes.
This article is general information, not legal, insurance or plumbing advice. City programs and policy terms change, so confirm the details with the City of Winnipeg, your insurer and a licensed sewer contractor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for the sewer line in Winnipeg?
The homeowner. The City of Winnipeg says owners own the sewer pipe from the house to the City’s sewer main, including the part under the street, and are responsible for maintaining and repairing it. The City only covers its own main, and backups are the owner’s responsibility unless the City was negligent.
Does the City of Winnipeg pay for sewer repairs under the street?
Sometimes. A City assistance program can cover repairs to the section of your pipe under the City’s street, but only for owner-occupied single-family homes or two-family homes where the owner lives in one unit. It excludes frozen pipes, and the City may require a cleaning and video inspection first.
How much does it cost to fix a sewer line in Winnipeg?
It depends on where the break is and how deep the line runs. A repair on my mom’s house was about $15,000. News reports describe Winnipeg cases of about $28,000 and $40,000 when the problem was under the street. Get at least three estimates from licensed sewer contractors.
Should I get a sewer camera inspection before selling an older house?
If you’ve had backups, smell sewage in the basement, or have large trees near the line, it is worth it. A clean report can support a higher price, and a bad one lets you choose between repairing, adjusting the price or selling as-is, instead of finding out during the buyer’s inspection.
Can I sell my house with a collapsed sewer line?
Yes. You can repair it first, disclose it and adjust the price, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who handles the repair after closing. Many regular buyers will ask for a repair or a price reduction once an inspection finds it, so knowing the condition early gives you more control.
Written by Renz Javing, owner of We Buy Houses Winnipeg, a BBB-accredited local cash home buyer with a 4.8-star rating from 89 Google reviews.
