To facilitate efficient and thorough maintenance of the City’s sewer system, new guidelines for response to sewer problems on the homeowner’s property became effective June 1, 2007.

How the Sewers Work

Sanitary and storm sewer lines, either individually or in a single (combination) line, travel underground from each house to the sidewalk/tree lawn area where they join the public sewer system. This meeting point is called the test tee. Every homeowner should learn exactly where the home’s test tee is located. (See guidelines.) The test tee is critical to determining the source of a basement backup problem.

Basement Backup Problems

Basement flooding may be the result of a blockage in the line, from tree roots or baby wipes, for example, or from heavy rain, causing the storm sewer to become overfull and infiltrate the sanitary sewer, often located in the same trench. If the backup is caused by a problem on the side of the line between the house and the test tee, that is the private (homeowner’s) side of the system. If it occurs on the other side of the test tee, it is the City’s responsibility.

The Good News

Recent installation of newer, bigger, and better sanitary and storm sewer lines in several areas of the City will prevent basement flooding problems. Another sewer replacement project is scheduled to begin 2007-2008.

Sewer crews freed from private property problem solving will be able to fully implement the City’s preventative maintenance program, which includes cleaning thousands of catch basins on streets and in parking lots and fields; jetting water at high pressure through over a million feet of sewer mains; catch basin repairs, manhole inspections and repairs, storm water outfall inspections; and root control.

In addition, there are ways for residents to keep sewer woes at bay.

Guidelines Effective June 1, 2007

The City will no longer:

• Place a camera in the sewer to look for problems (i.e. “TV”) in laterals on private property.

• Repair/replace test tees, with the following limited exceptions:

  • If the repair of the test tee is required in order for the City to properly repair the sewer lateral on the City side.

  • If a repair is needed, and the resident does not make the repair, and health issues are observed; per the City ordinance, this will be declared a nuisance by the Health Department, and the City will do the repair and bill the resident for labor cost + 25%.

  • If the City has directly caused any damage.

• Dispatch City staff to locate test tees (plumber and/or resident will be provided with measurements from customer service).

The City will respond:

During business hours, to reports of sewer problems by

• Going  to the property and
• checking the City’s side of the sewer. If the problem is found to be on the private property side, the City will refer the owner to one or more sewer contractors selected by the City through a proposal procedure, though the owner can use any contractor the owner wishes. The owner is responsible to pay the cost of the contractor.

During non-business hours, the resident will be given a choice:

• Wait until the City can come out to check what the problem is on the next business day, or
• Contact a private contractor to come out at the owner’s cost.

The City will provide the owner the names of one or more  contractors the resident can contact and pay, or the resident can contact a contractor of their choice.

During non-business hours, if the contractor finds the problem is on the City side, the contractor or homeowner may  contact the City and the City’s representative will decide and act as follows: 

• If it is an emergency situation the City will address the problem the same day if:
  • Special cases which will be determined case by case i.e., an entire street is flooded
  • The resident, or the contractor themselves, indicates that they had a plumber out who snaked the laterals on their side and determined that the blockage is on the City side. The plumber must leave an invoice indicating this information or the contractor must provide it directly.
• If it is not an emergency the City will schedule to go out on the next business day.

If test tee/lateral work is needed on private property, the City will provide a list of one or more sewer contractors selected through an RFP process. The RFP will be to seek contractors to provide the basic services at a set fee(s) to any residents contacting them, and the City will provide their names and they can use the City’s name in their response to calls in Shaker.

The City will select the sewer contractors through a Request for Proposals process, and will select one or more contractors meeting the City’s requirements.

The City will not pay anything to the contractor under the agreement entered into following the selection after the RFP process. The contractor will look only to the resident.

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