Prevention

Is there anything I can do to prevent sewage backup into my home?

  • Avoid putting grease down your garbage disposal or household drain. It can solidify, collect debris and accumulate in Village lines, or build up in your own system.
  • Never flush disposable diapers, sanitary napkins or paper towels down the toilet. They could stop up your drains and may damage your plumbing system.
  • If the lateral line in your older home has a jointed pipe system, consider whether the roots of large shrubs or trees near the line could invade and break pipes.
  • Know the location of your lateral line(s). Property maps can often be acquired from your Village planning department.
  • A basement floor drain, may one day be affected by a backup because it is located below ground level.
  • One way to prevent sewage backup through such below ground areas is to Install a “back-flow valve” on the lowest drain(s).
  • Use a plumber’s test plug to close these drains when not in use.
  • For further information about preventive measures, contact a plumber or plumbing supply dealer.

What does the municipality do to prevent this problem?

  • Every attempt is made to prevent backups in the public wastewater system before they occur. Sewer lines are specially designed to prevent accumulation and stoppages.
  • In addition, we have maintenance crews that are devoted to inspecting and cleaning wastewater lines throughout the Village on a regular schedule.
  • Degreasing chemicals are also injected into lines in areas that are prone to stoppages, such as those near restaurants, apartments or high density housing developments.
  • Even with our maintenance schedule, however, backups are often beyond the Village’s control. Most that do occur are confined to the sewage pipeline, rather than backing up into a home.