Sewer rehabilitation Zurich – 14'000 kilometers of private lines, a solution without a trench

In the canton of Zurich, the respective municipality – specifically the building department or the municipal water protection authority – is responsible for overseeing the private property drainage system. Renovation obligations typically arise in three situations: in a building application for new or renovation construction, where the municipality checks the condition of the existing drainage system (in construction projects with an impact on the property drainage system, or if the last condition assessment is more than 10 years old); during a public sewer renovation, where the municipality also allows private connections to be inspected; or as part of a recurring municipal condition survey, as many Zurich municipalities are now systematically conducting this procedure. The legal basis is the Federal Water Protection Act and the municipal settlement drainage regulation (SEVO).

In over % 90 cases, yes. The trenchless pipe liner rehabilitation is a recognized standard procedure in the canton of Zurich and is explicitly described in the canton’s guidelines for condition assessment and rehabilitation. The prerequisite is that the damage pattern allows for the method – in the case of completely collapsed pipes, extreme cross-sectional deformation or faulty connections that need to be structurally corrected, a local intervention is inevitable. We will clarify this with you in a transparent manner beforehand. For all other damage patterns – cracks, leaking seals, root growth, corrosion – trenchless rehabilitation is the most efficient and cost-effective solution.

The construction time alone for most projects is one to three working days – whether it’s a single-family home in Stäfa or a commercial property in Kloten. Larger developments, apartment buildings, or industrial facilities can also take up to three weeks depending on the length of the pipeline. Additionally, we work in stages. The lead time: Depending on the municipality and the approval process, you can expect three to six weeks from the offer to the start of construction. In an emergency – traffic jams, pipe breaks, or an acute water leak – our 24/7 patrol service is on site within an hour.

The technical lifespan of a properly executed inliner renovation is 50 to 70 years, which is comparable to a completely newly installed pipeline. The warranty is based on SIA standard 190 and SN 592 000. The AWEL quantifies the average renovation costs in the canton of Zurich at around CHF 400 per linear meter – an inliner will recover this investment several times over the decades. Furthermore, the manufacturers of the liners used offer product warranties of up to 10 years. The smooth inner surface also reduces deposits and reduces future maintenance costs.

Yes, absolutely. Without current satellite television recordings, neither the correct procedure can be determined nor a reliable offer prepared. In the canton of Zurich, the following applies: If the last condition assessment date is less than 10 years old, the existing result can be used for evaluation. If the recording is older or not available, a new camera survey must be conducted. The recordings must be submitted to the construction department of your municipality before construction begins for review. We conduct the inspection using our own high-resolution camera technology and prepare the complete inspection report – in the format requested by your municipality.

Basically, yes. With renovations of the external pipes – from the building to the public sewer connection – you practically notice nothing as a resident. With sprayliner work on sewer pipes inside the building, individual sanitary facilities can be out of service for a few hours per section – usually a half to a whole day. In apartment building communities and multi-family buildings, such as those that are particularly common in the canton of Zurich, we coordinate the work so that at least one functioning wet room is always available per unit. A removal was never necessary in our projects in the canton of Zurich.

According to the Water Protection Act, the maintenance obligation for private property drainage systems lies with the property owner. If your municipality, as part of a public sewer renovation, also has the private connections inspected, the costs of the condition assessment – depending on the SEVO – can be covered by the municipal special financing for wastewater. The renovation itself, however, remains the responsibility of the owner. In the event of sudden damage – such as a pipe rupture with consequential damage – the building insurance of the Canton of Zurich (GVZ) or your building water insurance applies, depending on the policy. Age-related wear and tear is not covered by insurance – for this, the renovation costs in the Canton of Zurich are generally tax-deductible as valuable property maintenance. We provide the complete documentation for the municipality, insurance company, and tax authority.