A. A storm sewer is a pipe, located in the town’s right-of-way or easements, that is designed to carry storm related water runoff. Storm sewers are normally much larger than sanitary sewers because they are designed to carry much larger amounts of water flow.

A. In most cases, tree roots get into sewers when a sewer pipe develops a crack or other damage and nutrients and moisture leak into the soil attracting roots.

B. Root penetration can be remedied by repairing the sewer pipe and ridding the pipe of roots. The maintenance of private sewers is the responsibility of private property owners.

A. A sewer cleanout or test tee is a point of access at the property line where the sewer line can be checked. It usually is five or six inches in diameter and has a plastic or steel cover over it.

A. A sewer cleanout should be located at or near the property line of the home as the lateral extends from the home to the public sewer main.

B. If there is no cleanout you should contact the sewer maintenance department to determine if one is needed or scheduled to be installed during a local project.

A. This is the pipe that extends from the home or business to the public sewer main. The property owner is responsible for the section from the home to the property or right-of-way line. The town maintains the section from the property or right-of-way line to the sewer main.

B. A cleanout is typically located at the property or right-of-way line and is used to determine the location of a potential clogged line.

A. Broken sewer laterals can allow tree roots or debris into the pipe, which may cause blockages, building backups, or overflows in the environment. Leaking pipes can also allow wastewater to reach groundwater, which may contribute to water pollution.

A. Defects and prohibited connections to private sanitary sewer laterals allow rainwater to enter the public sewer system. This extra water costs more to treat and it may overload the public sewer system causing overflows. Improper connections include roof downspouts, groundwater sump pumps, foundation drains, and drains from window wells, driveways, etc.

A. The manholes circular metal lid usually located in the middle (sometimes to the side) of the street are for access to the sanitary sewer main. Only authorized personnel can remove the manhole cover and enter the manhole.

B. Please ensure the manhole covers on your property are clearly visible and easily accessible at all times. Please do not bury them or disguise them. Your assistance in keeping these areas clear will save valuable time when crews are repairing or maintaining the lines.

A. The property owner is responsible for the lateral from their house to the property line or a clean out located at or beyond the property line.

A. When failure or stoppage of a sewer lateral occurs, town crews will respond to check the town’s sewer main to verify that the sewer main is open and flowing. If the sewer main is clear, it is the responsibility of the property owner to call a licensed plumber or cleaning service to correct the problem.

A. Pollutants must be removed from the wastewater to help protect the environment and public health. When water is used in our community, the water becomes contaminated with human waste. If left untreated, these pollutants would negatively affect our health, water quality and environment.

A. Sanitary sewer smoke testing is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to locate defects in the main and lateral sewer lines. This is why the town implements sanitary smoke testing as their method to assess the sewer system.

B. Smoke testing identifies problems in all the connected lines even in sections that were not known to exist. Although video inspection and other techniques are proven to be useful, there are times when research has shown that more than half of all stormwater flows in from somewhere other than the main line.

C. With sanitary smoke testing, smoke travels through the system, locating and identifying problems in all the lines. Experts recommend this to be done when the weather is dry, this allows smoke to travel to the surface. It is also a relatively simple process that consists of blowing smoke mixed with a large amount of air into the sanitary sewer line through a manhole.

D. Smoke may also appear through floor drains and gutter downspouts revealing a connection to the sewer system.

A. Closed Circuit Television Video (CCTV) sewer inspection refers to the process of using a camera to see inside of pipelines, sewer lines, or drains. CCTV cameras allow town staff to see the root causes of sewer issues without needing to conduct more invasive methods.

B. These types of sewer inspections tend to be a more cost-effective way to pinpoint the location of sewer and pipe blockages.

C. CCTV video cameras can help the town find the exact cause of sewer damage, including:
i. Root intrusion.
ii. Earthquake damage.
iii. Pipe cracking.
iv. Offset joint pipes.
v. Corrosion.
vi. Deterioration over time.
vii. Poor installation or previous repair efforts.
viii. Accidental puncturing.
ix. Severe blockage.