This editorial will appear in Friday’s print edition.

Critics of Tacoma’s plan to pressure homeowners into fixing their damaged sewer lines are asking valid questions, namely “Why now?” and “Why wait until the house is up for sale?”

Beginning Oct. 1, the city will require homeowners to submit a video inspection of the lines that run from their homes to the city’s sewer mains before they can sell or start major remodels.

Septic systems in Pierce County already face similar requirements, but Tacoma would be the only city in the state to require such inspections of private sewer lines.

The plan, approved by the last city council in December and delayed until fall by the current council, is aimed at reducing the amount of groundwater and rainwater that gets into the sewer system.

Treating stormwater at a sewer plant isn’t just excessively expensive. The extra load can also overwhelm the sewer system, forcing raw sewage into Commencement Bay.

The problem – which plagues city and private lines alike – must be addressed.

The city, rather than hand down a mandate, is hoping that it can leverage house sales to get repairs done. But it’s picked a most inopportune time to use that leverage.

In the real estate boom years, Tacoma homeowners might not have blinked an eye at a requirement that they get their sewer lines inspected before selling. A buyer who insisted on fixes could either go to the back of the line or agree to a higher price.

How the market has changed. These days, sellers are at the mercy of finicky buyers, skittish banks, and meager or nonexistent equity.

The inspections themselves aren’t cheap, especially in older homes where the only access may be through a roof vent or by pulling a toilet. A bad inspection could easily foil a sale in many cases where none of the parties to the transaction has the means or the inclination to fork out thousands for sewer repairs.

The risk is greatest with sales of foreclosed properties, which now account for 27 percent of home sales in Pierce County and can be tricky to finance anyway.

Selling those properties is urgent – for the health of both the housing market and communities. Unsold and foreclosed homes are a drag on housing prices and can quickly become neighborhood blights.

Tacoma officials are working on ways to make the repairs more affordable. What they should also be considering is whether the city can target problem areas or do more to help and encourage sewer fixes before a homeowner reaches the critical stage of selling.

It might take extra time to develop alternative means to the same end, but in this case extra time could avert further damage to a distressed housing market.