Sewer Line Repair in North Myrtle Beach, SC
Sewer line repair in North Myrtle Beach, SC for condos and seasonal homes: city utility rules, dry traps and hidden leaks.
- Camera inspection first
- Written, itemized quotes
- Licensed and insured
Photo: DiscoA340, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Myrtle Beach Sewer Line Repair fixes and replaces sewer and water lines in North Myrtle Beach, from year-round houses to condos and seasonal homes that sit empty for weeks. The city runs the public water and sewer system, so Public Works hears about a backup first; we then inspect your line on camera and quote the repair in writing.
Call (843) 429-6659 to schedule a camera inspection in North Myrtle Beach, whether you live here or visit for the season.
Call nowWho runs water and sewer in North Myrtle Beach?
The city does, through the Water and Sewer Division of Public Works at 1018 2nd Avenue S (843-280-5500), whose crews typically work 7 am to 5 pm Monday to Thursday and 7 to 11 am Friday. It buys treated drinking water wholesale from GSWSA and treats wastewater at two city plants, plus capacity contracted from GSWSA.
| City system (2018 Comprehensive Plan) | Size |
|---|---|
| 2nd Avenue South wastewater plant | 4.5 million gallons a day |
| Crescent Beach plant at Grand Strand Airport | 2.9 million gallons a day |
| Treatment contracted from GSWSA | 3.0 million gallons a day |
| Customer taps | about 13,500 |
| Buried pipeline | about 500 miles |
Land west of the Intracoastal Waterway is served by GSWSA unless annexed, and GSWSA’s Vereen plant serves “a portion of the City of North Myrtle Beach,” so look at who sends your water bill.
Sewer permits and the service line lookup in North Myrtle Beach
Replacing buried sewer or water pipe is new work under South Carolina’s residential code, so it needs a permit and an inspection from the city’s building division, (843) 280-5560. Fees follow construction valuation, using ICC Building Valuation Data, with plan review at half the permit fee, and plumbers working in the city need a $125 city Trade Certification, valid five years, plus a state license. We handle the permit and book the inspection.
The city’s service line inventory “must also include the customers’ side of the water meter,” and its lookup at nmb.us/SLI shows whether a line is recorded as lead, galvanized, non-lead or unknown. Galvanized steel commonly rusts from the inside, so a galvanized or unknown result deserves a closer look.
Seasonal homes: dry traps and slow leaks
Close to half the homes here are second homes: the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 survey counts 48.3% of North Myrtle Beach housing units as seasonal or recreational, and 63.9% were vacant when surveyed. Empty homes hide two problems.
Dry traps. Every drain has a trap holding a plug of water that keeps sewer gas out. Left for weeks, that water can evaporate, and the first sign is a sewer smell at the door. Run water into every sink, tub, shower and floor drain, flush each toilet and air the place out. If the smell lingers once the traps are full, a cracked pipe or vent may be letting gas in.
Slow leaks. A leaking service line or running toilet can waste water for weeks with nobody there to see a soggy yard; the bill is often the first warning. Close the main shutoff when you leave, if your home has its own. Suspect the city’s side? Its Water and Sewer Division investigates water quantity and pressure complaints.
How old are North Myrtle Beach homes?
Mostly post-1980. The median home dates from 1997, and 19.3% of homes were built before 1980 and 5.1% before 1960, per the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 survey, though the city’s 2018 plan counted “ninety-two structures … built before the 1940s.”
The Bureau’s 2025 estimate counts 21,346 residents, yet the survey finds 27,608 housing units, and 49.2% of them are in buildings with five or more units. Clay, cast iron and Orangeburg laterals commonly turn up in the older houses, while in condo buildings a clog in the shared line tends to reach the lower units first and calls for sewer line cleaning.
Who is responsible for the sewer lateral in North Myrtle Beach?
The city lists “Install and maintain customer service connections” among its water and sewer duties, but we have not pinned down where its part of the lateral stops, or who owns the water line on the customer’s side of the meter. Ask Public Works before work begins.
Sewer and water line services in North Myrtle Beach
- Sewer line repair in North Myrtle Beach: point repairs and lining for cracks, roots and offset joints.
- Sewer line replacement in North Myrtle Beach: pipe bursting or a trench for collapsed or bellied lines.
- Water line repair in North Myrtle Beach: hidden leaks and galvanized lines, renewed in PEX or polyethylene.
- Sewer backup help in North Myrtle Beach: first steps, with active backups scheduled first.
- Sewer scope inspection in North Myrtle Beach: video of the line before you buy a second home.
What happens when you call
Tell us the address and who bills you, the city or GSWSA. Sewage coming up? Stop using water and phone that utility before anyone else. Licensed plumbers with liability insurance camera the line and mark each defect on the ground. The written, itemized quote spells out what the video showed, the method, length and depth, permit and inspection, locates, restoration, any added cleanout, disposal and utility fees, so owners who are away can decide from the video.
Other areas we serve
Nearby places we also cover:
North Myrtle Beach sewer line FAQ
Who handles a sewer backup in North Myrtle Beach?
Public Works, at 843-280-5500 during crew hours, or the number on your bill after hours. GSWSA customers west of the Waterway should call GSWSA first, at (843) 234-8460.
Does North Myrtle Beach own the sewer line from my house to the street?
Part of it may be, since the city maintains customer service connections, but we have not confirmed the dividing point. Ask Public Works first.
Why does my North Myrtle Beach vacation home smell like sewer when I arrive?
Usually the drain traps dried out while it sat empty. Run every fixture and flush each toilet; if the smell stays, have the line and vents checked.
How can I spot a hidden water leak in a North Myrtle Beach home I am not living in?
If the home has its own meter, note the reading with every fixture off and check it 15 minutes later. Any change means water is escaping.
Is my North Myrtle Beach water service line lead or galvanized?
The city’s lookup at nmb.us/SLI shows how your line is recorded. If it says galvanized or unknown, we can check the pipe and quote a replacement.
Sewer or water line trouble?
Call for a camera inspection and a written quote.
Call to have a North Myrtle Beach sewer or water line checked before the next season.
Sewer and water line repair for Myrtle Beach, Conway and Horry County. Camera inspection first, written and itemized quotes, licensed plumbers.
Call (843) 429-6659