How to Prevent Sewer Overflow
You can play a role in helping to solve the problem of sewage overflow by:
- Maintaining and repairing your property line sewer clean-out line
- Your property line sewer clean-out line is a pipe that connects your home to Highland Village's public sewer system
- A cracked or deteriorated clean-out line, or one filled with tree roots can allow groundwater to seep into the system
- Note: The City can attempt to unstop a private sewer lateral line with written property owner consent
- Keeping the top of your property line clean-out cap visible
- If the top of your property line clean-out cap is covered with overgrown grass or landscaping, make sure to expose it. Doing so will aid City Utility crews in case of sewer issues or backups
- Clean roof vents leading from toilets annually (these are identifiable by a pipe on the roof)
- Failure to clean these vents may result in stoppages, causing dangerous sewer line gases to back up into your residence
- Make sure your lateral clean-out cap is in good working condition
- If you are uncertain about your clean-out cap, have a plumber inspect it
- If you have had blockages in the past, have a plumber routinely clear your lateral
- Fix any improper connections, such as downspouts, driveway drains, or sump pumps that are directly connected to Highland Village's sewer system
- The stormwater collected from these devices must be drained to your property or directly connected to a separate stormwater system