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Blocked Sewers

Do you have a tree root problem in your sewer drain? Blocked drains whether it's a blocked sewer line or a blocked storm water pipe can be one of the most frustrating and inconvenient not to mention one of the most costly plumbing problems you can have at your home

A blocked storm sewer drain can cause as much as 6 inches of water to pool on roadways and contributed to traffic accidents. Rainwater from late morning showers can collect on freeways when storm sewer drains are covered with debris.

Once performed, the drain camera would show that, for instance, a section of broken pipe needs to be replaced. In this situation a blocked sewer caused by tree roots could have been cleared using a electric eel or a high pressure water blaster. This would only have cleared the immediate problem though. The breach will remain in the sewer line, unseen unless a drain camera inspection is carried out. It will often act as a 'lip' that catches anything that is flushed, leading to further blockages. Plus it will only be a matter of time before the tree roots into the line again once they have found access to the water that originally attracted them. The drain camera video would show all this, and the section of broken pipe could be then replaced to permanently prevent that blocked sewer reoccurring.

Notify the Water & Wastewater Department.  Once notified, the City will dispatch the sewer truck to check the main sewer line in the street for blockages. If the main is clear, it is the homeowner's responsibility to call a plumber. The City suggests that all home owners install a backflow preventer or plug in the floor drain to prevent potential backups in the event the main is blocked.

Grease is washed into the plumbing system, usually through the kitchen sink. Grease sticks to the inside of sewer pipes (both on your property and in the streets). Over time, the grease can build and block the entire pipe.

"One of the best ways people can keep fats and grease out of the sewer is to keep it out of their drains," said Theiler. "Not only does it help prevent sewer system overflows, it can help people avoid their own costly plumbing problems."

If the drain or sewer serving your property becomes blocked it may be possible to clear it yourself. A set of drain rods can clear most blockages and are easily obtained from most builders merchants.

Plaintiff Guido Coszalter is a current employee, and plaintiffs Steve Johnson and Gary Jones are former employees, of the City of Salem Public Works Department. During most of the events in questions, all three plaintiffs worked as members of the "main line crew" of the Sewer Division of the Public Works Department. Plaintiffs contend that, beginning in mid-1996, defendants retaliated against them for publicly disclosing health and safety hazards encountered in the course of their employment.

Some pipes belong to owners or occupiers of buildings or land. Others are owned by water companies such as Severn Trent Water. You can determine ownership from the age of the properties that are connected to the pipes and whether the pipes are drains or sewers.

If your sewer or floor drain backs up because of an obstruction in the City's main line sewer, call Seattle Public Utilities. Also, call SPU to report odour problems from sewers in your neighbourhood.

Most household plumbing lines are small, and connect directly to pipes that are only slightly larger. FOG and foreign materials can easily block the sewage flow. A blocked sewer can be a worse problem than just inconvenient and unpleasant.

If your sinks, tubs, or toilets are overflowing, you may be experiencing a sewer back-up in your home. The customer service centre provides 24-hour emergency service and can be reached at 1800 552 758

Sewer pipes will often run along the front or back of several properties or towards the road. The age of the properties connected to them is important because it determines who owns the sewer.

Vaporooter is a combination of herbicides that are placed as a foam in your sewer line for the purpose of eliminating tree roots and preventing further destruction of sewer pipes caused by live tree roots. Only tree roots within the pipe and a short distance outside the pipe are affected. Trees and shrubs above the pipe are not affected.

For properties built after October 1937 the shared sewer pipe is called a private sewer. These belong jointly to all the people who own the properties that connect to them. But the law says that if they are blocked or broken, it is only the owners "up stream" of the blockage or break who are responsible for solving the problem. This might sound unfair but your local Environmental Health Officer can provide advice on action to take.

Further treatment should be scheduled annually for the most cost-effective control. This will eliminate any further need to water jet or electric eel your sewer line and guarantee that your sewer will not re-block due to live tree root growth!

Request for assistance on NW Madrona, where a caller says the sewer line from his rental property is not draining properly. It appears the manhole is blocked, possibly by a dead animal, and he got no answer when he called the city.

If you're sure that it's only your house that's affected, you'll probably need to contact a drain clearing specialist. They usually try to clear the blockage first by using a high pressure water jet.

If you wish to report a blocked private drain or a private sewer problem, please phone Dr. DRiP on 1800 552 758 These problems are the responsibility of the private properties who use them. The Public Health section has powers to require all those responsible to undertake repair work.

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