Read the pattern
Record the species and surface location if known, footage distance, root density, pipe material, joint or defect, cleaning history, recurrence interval, and proposed access for maintenance or repair.
Decision terrace 33
Move from evidence to a bounded authorization
Hold the safety line
Keep powered cutting tools under trained control and away from gas or utility conflicts. Do not excavate near trees, retaining features, property lines, or overhead loads without appropriate planning.
Place the Seattle boundary
SPU's repair-method guidance separates cleaning and root removal from permitted repair. Tree ownership, arborist decisions, and sewer responsibility also remain distinct questions.
Write the visit
Ask whether the scope is clearing, camera confirmation, chemical treatment, spot repair, lining, replacement, landscape coordination, or monitoring. Require endpoints and evidence for the recommended interval.
Keep the closing evidence
Use post-cleaning footage to show the exposed pipe condition, then keep distance references and recurrence notes. A clear line immediately after cutting is not proof the entry path is closed.
Current public source