Sanitary Sewer Problem?
If you are experiencing a sewer service backup, please contact (phone number) to notify Gananoque Utilities of the issue. Utilities Department Operators will inspect the sanitary sewer collection main, ensure it is working properly, and take corrective action, if required.
Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of their sanitary services from building to sewer main. If you experience a blockage, please call a plumber to have the blockage cleared. Utilities Department personnel are unable to clear sewer service blockages.
After the plumber has cleared the blockage, please contact (phone number) to arrange for Utilities to perform an inspection of the sewer service.
If the issue is determined to have occurred on the private side of the service or was caused by the occupants of the home, the costs for clearing the blockage will reside with the property owner. However, if the issue is determined to have been caused by problems with Town-owned infrastructure, then the property owner can submit the plumber’s invoice to the Town for payment.
Sewer Backup and Clearing Hazards
Health and Safety Risks:
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Gas Line Cross Bores:
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Common Causes of Sewer Service Backups:
Flushed items:
Sewer systems are designed to carry The Three P’s (Pee, Poo, and Toilet Paper) only. Other items, such as children’s toys, facial tissues and paper towels, personal wipes, food items, family planning and hygiene products, dental floss, pet waste, and latex gloves, all contribute to costly problems with sanitary sewer infrastructure. Please note that products advertised as “flushable wipes” are not flushable.
FOG (Fats, Oils, and Grease)
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While warm, they may take a liquid form, but as they cool, FOG coats underground piping and pumping station infrastructure, causing costly maintenance and backups.
Root Infiltration
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Sewer service piping installed before about the 1980’s feature joints that develop a vulnerability to tree root infiltration over time.
Slipped Joint or Collapsed Pipe
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Sewer pipe joints may shift over time, creating a lip. Flushed materials may get caught and gather on these lips, causing blockages and backups. Certain pipe material types, commonly installed around or before the 1970’s, are vulnerable to cracking and collapse over time.
