Our sanitary sewer has around 680 kilometres of pipe that connect residential and commercial properties to the local wastewater treatment plant and lagoons. Once treated, wastewater is discharged into the Fraser River and other creeks and streams.
Blocked sewers drain time and resources
We receive, on average, around 500 calls every year about blocked sewers. The money - and time - needed to service these reports takes up a not-inconsiderable chunk of the budget set aside for sanitary sewer maintenance.
Please don't put anything down our sewers that might:
- Harm the environment.
- Damage the water treatment plant.
- Complicate the treatment process.
- Pose a health threat to maintenance and repair crews.
If you can throw waste - solid or liquid - into the garbage, do that instead of flushing it down the toilet or pouring it down the drain.
Sanitary sewer blockages
The unthinkable has happened. Sewage is slowly backing up into your home and it's all too clear there's a blockage somewhere.
Sewer blockages can happen due to natural causes like vegetation (e.g. roots) growing into a line. More often than not, however, improper disposal of waste like grease, baby wipes, diapers, and other non-flushable items are to blame.