How to Fill in a Collapsed Sewer System

If an underground collapsed sewer line is no longer needed, the sewer pipe ends must be sealed off and the area filled in. Sewer lines are generally made from PVC (polvinyl chloride) or ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) hard plastic, and are sealed with end caps made from the same material. If, in the future, the sewer line needs to be rejoined, the end caps can be sawn off and a new pipe section installed to replace the collapsed pipe.

Garden spade
Handsaw
Utility knife
Rag
PVC primer
PVC/ABS end caps
PVC/ABS cement

Instructions

- 1
  Dig a trench with a garden spade to reach the collapsed area of sewer pipe. Dig four inches lower than the existing pipe for better access to the sewer line.
- 2
  Cut through the sewer pipe on each side of the collapsed section with a handsaw or reciprocating saw. Make the cut both straight and perpendicular to the pipe. Remove the damaged pipe section.
- 3
  Scrape off any burrs from the pipe cuts using a utility knife. Clean around the outside pipe ends with a rag. Brush PVC primer around the outside pipe ends, as well as the inside ends of two PVC end caps. If working on ABS pipes, no primer is needed.
- 4
  Brush PVC cement onto all primed areas. For ABS, brush ABS cement around the outside of both pipes, as well as the inside of two ABS end caps.
- 5
  Push one end cap onto the end of each cut sewer pipe, holding the caps to the pipe for 15 seconds while the cement sets. Fill in the trench with backfill, using the spade.

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