What 29 St. Louis-area programs charge, what they pay toward a broken sewer lateral, and what each one makes you do first. Every figure comes from the city's own page.
The sewer lateral is the pipe from your house to the public sewer main. It belongs to you, including the part under the street. Most cities here add a yearly fee to the property tax bill and use it to help pay when a lateral breaks.
The programs differ a great deal. Some pay the whole bill. Some stop at $2,500. Some charge several hundred dollars to apply, and some won't pay for a video you had done before applying. Read your city's row before you pay anyone for a repair.
Checked on October 10, 2026. Fees and caps change, so confirm with the city before you rely on a figure. Download the table as a spreadsheet (CSV).
Found an error? Write to corrections@stldraincleaningpros.com and it will be corrected.
| City or district | Yearly fee | What the program pays | Cost to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballwin | $28 | Up to $4,500. Up to $7,500 for deep digs or street cuts. | $150, returned if you are turned down |
| Brentwood | $50 | Up to $4,250, a limit raised on January 1, 2026. | No fee |
| Bridgeton | $28 | 100% up to $10,000, then 50% of the cost above that, to a $20,000 maximum. Paid to the contractor. | No fee |
| Chesterfield | $28 | Up to $15,000 | $200, not refunded |
| Clayton | $28 | Reimburses 100% of eligible costs, up to $2,500. | No fee |
| Crestwood | $28 | 100% up to $10,000. You pay half of anything above that. | No fee |
| Creve Coeur | $28 | Reimburses 70%, up to $7,500. | No fee. You pay the plumber in full, then get reimbursed. |
| Des Peres | $28 | Up to $7,500 per project | $250. The unused part is refunded if the city turns the repair down. |
| Duckett Creek district | $28 | Up to $7,500 per application per year | $300, refunded if the lateral qualifies |
| Ellisville | $28 | No cap stated. The city pays the contractor. | No fee |
| Ferguson | $50 per unit | 100% of the repair, including the video. | No fee |
| Florissant | $50 | The city's own crew makes the repair. No cap stated. | $300 deposit, refunded after an approved repair |
| Hazelwood | Up to $28 | 90% of the lowest bid, less $30, up to $7,500. | No fee stated |
| Kirkwood | $28 | 75% of the lowest bid, paid to the contractor. No cap stated. | $400 deposit |
| Lake Saint Louis | $20 | Up to $7,500 per household | No fee. You pay for the first cleaning and camera inspection. |
| Manchester | $50 | Up to $10,000. The city's plumber does the work. | $400, refunded if the application is denied |
| Maplewood | $50 | The city pays up to $5,000, or $8,000 when street or step work is needed. | $325 plus 30% of the project cost |
| Maryland Heights | $50 | 100% up to $10,000, then 50% of the cost above that. | No fee stated |
| O'Fallon | $30 | No cap stated. A city crew does the work. | $400, not refunded |
| Olivette | $50 | Up to $6,000, paid to the contractor. Up to $3,000 more for unusually hard jobs. | Not stated in the city code |
| Overland | Up to $28 | The city contracts the repair. No cap stated. | No fee stated |
| Richmond Heights | $50 | Reimburses up to $2,500. | No fee |
| St. Ann | Up to $28 | Up to $4,000 | $800. Refunded, less the video cost, if nothing is wrong. |
| St. Charles | $20 | Reimburses 90% of the lowest of three bids, up to $7,500. | No fee stated |
| St. Louis (city) | $28 | Repairs under the street, alley or sidewalk only, at no charge. | No fee |
| St. Louis County (unincorporated) | $28 | No cap stated. The county pays the contractor. | No fee |
| St. Peters | $28 | Up to $10,000 per household | $500. The balance is refunded if the defect doesn't qualify. |
| University City | $50 | The first $2,500 of the repair | No fee |
| Webster Groves | Up to $50, set each year | 80% of the lowest bid, up to $3,500, or $8,000 if the repair is in the street. | No fee |
Without a program, the whole repair is the owner's cost. Keeping the line clear on a schedule matters more there than anywhere.
No city-run program turned up on the city's own site or in its code for Cottleville, Dardenne Prairie, Eureka, Sunset Hills, Town and Country, Wentzville. That isn't proof there is none. Call city hall, or look for a sewer lateral line on your property tax bill.
If your home is in St. Charles County outside a city with its own program, the Duckett Creek district's program may apply. Your sewer bill says who your provider is.
Each row was read on the city's or district's own page, or in its municipal code, on October 10, 2026. Nothing was taken from a contractor's site or a news story. Where a city's page doesn't state something, the row says so.
This page is kept by STL Drain Cleaning Pros, a site that connects St. Louis area homeowners with a local drain cleaning company.
Say which drain it is and how many fixtures are affected.