HTO has long worked on the problem of leaking sewer laterals, which, if faulty (or even non-existent), can back up wastewater into the house, leak into the ground/groundwater, and cause other environmental problems. Years ago, we worked with the City of Santa Barbara to create an annual fund to help homeowners pay for inspection and repair, but after a number of successful years (and the annual fund growing from $200k to $900k per year), those funds dried up. Therefore, we welcome the news that the City is ramping up another program for sewer lateral inspection and repair. City Water Resources Manager Joshua Haggmark explains that leaking laterals not only pollute the ground but when they are "roto-rooted" due to tree roots reaching into cracks in the lateral and plugging up wastewater flow, a big clump of roots wind up jamming wastewater works at the plant.

On this note, former City of Santa Barbara Wastewater Manager Lisa Arroyo has created a sewer lateral service that can fix faulty lateral-pipes with a trenchless method that makes for less mess and expense.

Headquartered in Goleta, Arroyo Trenchless is a licensed general engineering contracting company that focuses on trenchless construction methods to repair, rehabilitate, replace and/or install new underground infrastructure. The company has a state-of-the-art "sewer trailer" with equipment to perform sewer lateral rehabilitation, spot line repairs, inspection, and cleaning. Lisa Arroyo, President of Arroyo Trenchless, is a licensed civil engineer and certified by the National Association of Sanitary Sewer Organization (NASSCO) in its Pipeline Assessment Condition Programs. If you are experiencing numerous calls to Roto-Rooter services to free up your pipes (often needed when it rains!), please visit Arroyo Trenchless on its website at ArroyoTrenchless.com or call (805) 699-1717 to learn more about its services. You'll be doing a big service to the ground and groundwater--which all goes to the ocean!