Southwest Plumbing

for your information: Your Waste Water System…

…begins as each bathroom group, bathtub/shower, toilet, sink, ties in to the same line as the next bathroom group and then the washing machine ties in and the kitchen sinks and dish washer and guest bath etc… ties into each other down the line into one main pipe that exits the building.

Called the outside sanitary service line, this pipe will travel across your property and connect to the sanitary sewer main near the street. This sanitary  service line is the property owner’s responsibility to repair and maintain all the way out to the inspection chamber, just as if it were inside the home.

The sewer inspection chamber is usually a vertical, capped 200mm( 8″) pipe that provides direct access to the sewer system at the edge of the property. It is very important that you do not obstruct access to the inspection chamber with ground cover, material, building, fence or structure.  The sewer main line in the street serves your residence, your neighbor’s residence, and all the other homes and businesses on your street and is maintained by the public service department.  Your waste water system is like a small stream flowing into a small river, which empties into a larger river, and so on until it reaches the ocean, which in this case is your local waste water treatment plant.  Each one of these little streams is affected by what is placed into it and at each point may have it’s unusual causes for stopping up and require different tools and techniques to clear those stoppages.

You, the customer are responsible for all normal maintenance of the sanitary sewer service line on private property as well as in the City right-of-way. Normal Maintenance means the removal of materials that are flushed or dropped/inserted down the sanitary service line (including toys, baby diapers, etc.), construction debris, and tree roots (that require less than two roddings per year by an experienced/licensed plumber that is in the right-of-way/easement). All problems on private property are the sole responsibility of the customer. If the plumber is unable to restore service and feels that the blockage is in the right-of-way, the customer needs to contact the Public Works Department while the plumber is still on site, and a representative will be dispatched immediately. If the blockage is determined to be in the right-of-way and the plumber can’t get through, the City will determine whether another plumber will be contacted at the City’s expense or an excavation will be initiated.

For homes with a curb side two-way lateral cleanout:

• If the problem is determined to be in the sewer lateral within the public right-of-way, the City will clean the lateral at no charge to the resident.
• If the problem is determined to be between the home and the two-way cleanout, it is the resident’s responsibility to correct the problem.

For homes without an approved two-way curbside lateral cleanout:

• If the home’s sewer lateral does not have a two-way cleanout and clearing a potential stoppage requires additional plumbing work, it will not be done by the City.

Residents are encouraged to install a two-way lateral cleanout. A cost-effective time to install a cleanout is when a plumber is already repairing or replacing a deteriorated or root-damaged lateral. This will allow the City and plumbers to maintain the sewer lines. If the lateral requires replacement within the public right-of-way, and without an approved cleanout, it becomes the resident’s responsibility.

If you think your problem is out at the sewer main , call the public service department that services your area.

Stoppages can and do occur in all points of your waste water system! The best way to inspect pipes is to get a close-up view. Southwest Plumbing uses state-of-the-art video equipment to pinpoint exactly what and where the problem is. Our high tech video equipment can investigate sewer lines, water lines, vacuum tubes, chimneys and storm drains – even in pipes as narrow as 1.5 inches in diameter! With our highly sophisticated video cameras, light sources and electronic equipment we can detect root intrusion, faults and cracks in sanitary lines and storm drains. We also locate valves, fittings and faults in water lines… No guess work.

We use and recommend these products for the health of your waste water system.

• Bio Clean
• Root-X

Common causes of stoppages at points in the system

• The line that drains your kitchen sink is affected by grease and food particles and may require a line cleaning device with a special tool to remove the stoppage, as well as more extensive measures further down the line.
• The toilet can be affected by any number of things that people try, and do, flush down it. It may need to be cleared in place, or it may even need to be removed and the main line cleared.
• The sanitary  service line from the house to the main sewer line can have a combination of stoppages from all of the things listed above, plus a multitude of other issues and can therefore be the most difficult to deal with.

Causes and Treatments of Stoppage in the Sanitary Service Line

• Paper products combined with grease and food particles can combine to make a serious clog requiring high pressure cleaning and subsequent Bio Clean treatments to scour the system
• Root intrusion can be cleared in the short term (6months-1year) using a sewer head and a root retrieval head, followed by a RootEX treatment to kill the roots. In many cases the roots have gotten in because of a crack or break in the pipe and can have traveled 10 or more feet down the line, requiring further line replacement. click here for more information on root intrusion
• The  sanitary service line may have collapsed due to the movement of the soil and require replacement.
• The line may have a dip in it  from improper installation causing water and material to be trapped and clog the line, requiring a portion of the pipe to be replaced.

Who and When to Call

• Sewer Main Backups: Call the public works representative when you have a sewer main backup or if you feel the problem is outside the home. Someone will be dispatched to check the sewer main at no charge to you. If he plumbing service is already onsite and is unable to clear the sanitary service line on your property all the way to the sewer main, call the public works dept. before the plumber removes his equipment from the lines.
• Heavy Rainfall Sewer Main Backups: It is helpful to the public works authority that you call when you have a rainfall backup so the area can be analyzed possibly reducing future occurrences. During prolonged heavy rainfalls, it is common to experience slower moving drains, until the system catches up.
• When you do call a plumber: It’s a good idea to get price quotes from more than one company, keeping in mind that most companies charge more for nights, weekends, and holidays. Ask if their work is guaranteed and for how long. Be prepared to furnish them with any history of sewer problems, if there are large trees over your sanitary service line and if your sanitary service line is excessively long (over 100 ft.), to make sure the have the proper equipment for the job.
• You should expect your plumbing service to: Rod the system all the way from the cleanout going into the house to the sewer main at the street to effectively clean the the service line.
• The Inspection Chamber and beyond: If it is determined that the sewer main or the connection is blocked, only the public works forces have the authority to clear their system. Only authorized personnel are allowed to remove manholes, where unauthorized entry is extremely  dangerous and strictly prohibited. Report missing, damaged or noisy manhole covers to your public works authority.

If you think your problem is out at the sewer main , call the public service department that services your area.