Waywest Mechanical repairs and replaces sewer lines — the building sewer or lateral running from the house to the municipal sewer or septic system — in Nanaimo and across Vancouver Island. Common problems are root intrusion, cracked or collapsed clay and cast-iron pipe, and sagging sections. Licensed plumbers diagnose the line with a sewer camera, then repair the damaged section or replace the full line.
Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–4:30 PM · quotes within the hour
Excavation: Waywest also handles the excavation, so digging, pipe work and backfill are one job with one quote and one point of contact.
Common sewer line problems on the Island
Root intrusion. Tree roots are drawn to the moisture escaping at pipe joints. They enter as fine hairs and grow into dense masses that catch paper and waste. This is the number one sewer lateral problem in established Nanaimo, Ladysmith and Duncan neighbourhoods with mature trees.
Deteriorated clay and concrete pipe. Older sewer laterals were often clay tile or concrete in short sections with many joints. Joints shift, crack and separate over decades.
Corroded cast iron. Cast-iron building drains roughen and scale from the inside, and eventually crack or rot through at the bottom of the pipe.
Bellies and sags. Where soil has settled under the pipe, a low spot forms that holds standing water and solids, causing repeated blockages.
Collapsed sections. Heavy loads, shifting ground or a pipe that has simply worn through can collapse, stopping flow entirely.
Diagnosis before digging
Every sewer repair we quote starts with a camera inspection. The camera travels the length of the line and shows:
- The type and condition of the pipe
- Exactly where roots, cracks, offsets or sags are located
- How deep the problem is, using a locator on the surface
- Whether the problem is on your side of the property line or the municipality's
You see the footage. That lets you decide between a spot repair of one bad section and a full replacement based on the actual condition of the line, rather than a guess.
Repair options
Spot repair. When one section is damaged and the rest of the line is sound, we excavate at that location, cut out the bad section and install new pipe with proper couplings and bedding.
Full replacement. When the line has problems along its length — common with old clay laterals — replacing the whole run is usually better value than repeated spot repairs. New PVC sewer pipe has far fewer joints and resists root intrusion.
Maintenance cleaning. If replacement is not the right choice yet, scheduled root cutting and drain cleaning can keep the line flowing, with the understanding that it is managing the problem rather than fixing it.
What replacement involves
- Camera inspection and locating the route and depth
- BC One Call locate for other buried utilities
- Permit application with the municipality
- Excavation, removal or abandonment of the old line
- New pipe installed at the correct slope and bedding, with cleanouts for future access
- Municipal inspection before backfill
- Backfill and site restoration to rough grade
If sewage is backing up now
Stop using water in the house — every flush and every load of laundry adds to the backup. Stay away from sewage-contaminated areas, and call the 24/7 emergency line.
Service area
Waywest repairs and replaces sewer lines in Nanaimo, Lantzville, Ladysmith, Chemainus, Duncan, Parksville, Qualicum Beach and across our Vancouver Island service area.
What happens when you call
- A person answers
You talk to the Nanaimo office, or our own crew on the 24/7 line — not a call centre.
- You hear the rate first
We explain the service rate, or the emergency rate after hours, before anyone is booked or dispatched.
- A licensed technician arrives
A Waywest technician with a stocked vehicle diagnoses the problem and explains your options.
- You approve the work
Repairs go ahead once you agree. Larger jobs get a written quote you can take time to consider.
Quick facts
- Emergency service
- 24/7 at 250-616-1446 — typically on site within an hour in Nanaimo
- Office hours
- Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–4:30 PM, 250-729-2394
- Service area
- Nanaimo and Vancouver Island, Victoria to Port Hardy
- Licensing
- TSBC licence LGA0004592; licensed, bonded and insured
- Quotes
- Reply within the hour during business hours
- Page updated
Common questions
How do I know if my sewer line is damaged?
Repeated main line blockages, sewage backing up into a basement floor drain, gurgling drains, sewer odours inside or outside the house, and soggy or sunken patches in the yard along the sewer route. A camera inspection confirms whether the line itself is damaged.
Who is responsible for the sewer line in Nanaimo?
Homeowners are generally responsible for the building sewer from the house to the property line or municipal connection, and the municipality for the main and its connection. Boundaries vary, so Waywest identifies where the municipal inspection chamber or connection is before recommending work.
Can tree roots be removed from a sewer line permanently?
Cutting roots out of a sewer line restores flow, but roots grow back through the same joints, often within a year or two. A permanent fix means repairing or replacing the section with joint-free or tightly sealed pipe so roots cannot re-enter.
Does a sewer line repair require a permit?
Replacing a building sewer typically requires a plumbing permit and inspection from the municipality before the trench is backfilled. Waywest arranges the permits and inspections required for your property.
Is a sewer line repair covered by home insurance?
Coverage varies widely. Many policies cover sudden water damage from a backup only with an added sewer backup endorsement, and few cover repairing the pipe itself when it has deteriorated. Check your policy; Waywest can provide camera footage and a written report for a claim.
Need this sorted out?
Call the Nanaimo office and talk to someone who can tell you what the work involves and when we can get to it.