Septic-to-Sewer Conversion Projects
SacSewer’s nationally recognized Septic-to-Sewer Program is helping bring sewer service to local communities in the greater Sacramento region that have long relied on septic systems to dispose of sewage. Converting from an aging or failing septic system to public sewer reduces the risk of septic leakage, preventing pollutants from reaching groundwater, including nearby drinking wells and waterways such as Franklin Creek, Stone Lake Slough, and the Sacramento River.
To build these projects, SacSewer is tapping into both federal and State of California grant programs that pay for the construction and connection costs to convert residential properties to sewer service.
For several qualified areas, residential property owners with septic systems have been presented with a unique opportunity to convert from septic to public sewer service – at no personal cost.
Project Benefits
For property owners in one of the four project areas, the main benefit is the opportunity to connect to the public sewer at no personal cost. Looking ahead, once the sewer mainline is established, the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department may no longer issue permits for the repair or replacement of old septic systems. At that point, property owners will be responsible for any fees associated with connecting to the public sewer, which can cost up to $12,000 or more.
The goal of these projects is to bring reliable sewer service to the community while reducing the potential risks that aging, and in some cases failing, septic systems pose to the environment. Below are some of the key benefits of converting to public sewer:
- Offers more reliable sewage disposal and requires less maintenance
- Saves property owners money compared to connecting later without grant funding
- Avoids having to comply with increasingly strict regulatory requirements for septic systems
- Removes worry about the expensive replacement or repair of old septic systems
- Likely benefits property values, especially if a property has a non-compliant or aging septic system
- Reduces the likelihood of groundwater and potable water well contamination, which could result in enforcement actions
- Contributes to cleaner rivers, streams, and aquifers, and aligns with the goals for improving water quality in the Sacramento region.
Completed Projects
Map
Participation:
New participants are no longer accepted.
Funding Status: SacSewer has received grant funding for this project from the State Water Resources Control Board, which will cover all residential connection costs.
The grant funding allows SacSewer to provide all the necessary services to build the project, including preparing the design, acquiring the permits, and hiring and managing the construction contractor – making it as simple as possible for the participating property owners to connect to the public sewer system.
Timeline
- Complete design plans: Fall 2024
- Funding agreement executed with the State: Summer 2024
- Start construction: Spring 2025
- Complete construction: Late 2025
Map
Participation:
New participants are no longer accepted.
Funding Status
SacSewer has received grant funding for this project from the State Water Resources Control Board, which will cover all residential connection costs.
The grant funding allows SacSewer to provide all the necessary services to build the project, including preparing the design, acquiring the permits, and hiring and managing the construction contractor – making it as simple as possible for the participating property owners to connect to the public sewer system.
Timeline
- Complete design plans: Fall 2024
- Funding agreement executed with the State: Summer 2024
- Start construction: Spring 2025
- Complete construction: Late 2025
Map
Participation:
New Participants are no longer accepted.
Funding Status: SacSewer has received grant funding for this project from the State Water Resources Control Board and the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved American Rescue Plan, which will cover all residential connection costs. Construction for the Septic-to-Sewer Conversion Project located in the community of Hood was partially financed by grant funding administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Community Grant Program.
The grant funding allows SacSewer to provide all the necessary services to build the project, including preparing the design, acquiring the permits, and hiring and managing the construction contractor – making it as simple as possible for the participating property owners to connect to the public sewer system.
Timeline
- Complete design plans: Fall 2024
- Funding agreement executed with the State: Summer 2024
- Start construction: Early 2025
- Complete construction: Late 2025
Map
Participation:
New participants are no longer accepted.
Funding Status: SacSewer has received grant funding for this project from the State Water Resources Control Board, which will cover all residential connection costs. Thanks to Congresswoman Doris Matsui, the Franklin community has received a State and Tribal Assistance Grant that will cover all the commercial and mixed-use connection costs. Construction for the Septic-to-Sewer Conversion Project located in the community of Franklin was partially financed by grant funding administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Community Grant Program.
The grant funding allows SacSewer to provide all the necessary services to build the project, including preparing the design, acquiring the permits, and hiring and managing the construction contractor – making it as simple as possible for the participating property owners to connect to the public sewer system.
Timeline
- Complete design plans: Fall 2024
- Funding agreement executed with the State: Summer 2024
- Start construction: Early 2025
- Complete construction: Late 2025
Map 
Participation:
New participants are no longer accepted.
Funding Status
SacSewer has received grant funding for this project from the State Water Resources Control Board, which will cover all residential connection costs.
The grant funding allows SacSewer to provide all the necessary services to build the project, including preparing the design, acquiring the permits, and hiring and managing the construction contractor – making it as simple as possible for the participating property owners to connect to the public sewer system.
Timeline
- Complete design plans: Early 2018
- Funding agreement executed with the State: Fall 2018
- Start construction: Spring 2019
- Complete construction: Late 2019
What to Know as a Participating Property Owner
Once the project is complete and the property is connected to the public sewer system, residential property owners will pay a monthly rate for collection and treatment and resource recovery services.
View current and future Residential Rates and Business Rates.
SacSewer also offers rate assistance to eligible customers on the sewage collection and treatment and resource recovery portions of their sewer bill. Learn more about the Sewer Lifeline Rate Assistance Program.
Residential properties will be connected to the public sewer at no owner cost thanks to various grant and funding sources.
Commercial, industrial, and mixed-use properties within the project area, may also have the opportunity to connect to the public sewer system. However, owners will be responsible for covering part or all of the connection costs.
Before construction, contractors will coordinate with property owners to minimize potential impacts and preserve important landscaping features, whenever possible. Construction contractors will restore conditions to as good as (or better) than before.
Existing septic tanks will be emptied, disabled, and filled with material to avoid reuse in the future. Septic systems will NOT be removed—they will be abandoned in place.
Once you are connected, your septic tank will be pumped out, disabled, filled with an appropriate material, and covered to ground level. As a result, there will be no need to maintain the old septic system. The contractor will follow the Sacramento County Department of Environmental Management requirements to abandon the septic tank.
For residents in Hood and Franklin, the property owner will be responsible for maintaining the grinder pump. However, if you follow the Dos and Don’ts in the owner’s manual, maintenance should be minimal.
All SacSewer customers are always encouraged to contact us if you think you have a problem with your system. Our dispatch team is available to help 24/7. Visit our Report a Sewer Problem page to learn more.
Contact the Septic-to-Sewer Team
Septic-To-Sewer Contact Form