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1. 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.

2. 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.