Sewer Services Can Include:
- Home to the street city sewer connection
- Sewer line repairs
- Sewer pipe
- Onsite sewage system design
- Onsite sewage system construction or repairs
- Sewer line maintenance
Problems with Sewer Lines Can Occur…Here Are A Few
- Broken or cracked pipes from age, roots or ground settling.
- Blockage from grease build-up, foreign objects (inorganic materials).
- Corrosion, older aged metal piping can eventually corrode and break down.
- Clay tiles in old septic drain field can be outdated and in need of an upgrade.
- Bellied pipes, a section of pipe than is bowed causing a build-up of materials eventually causing back-ups into the home. This happens with poor construction practices and soil settling.
- Leaking joints and fitting, this can happen if the pipes have shifted or separated from the coupling, fitting or adjoining seal. This can cause wastewater to build up and surround the pipe.
- Roots infiltrating the sewer drain lines or septic field. This prevents the flow of waste leading to the municipal sewer or prevents flow into the drain field which can eventually cause a back up into the home.
- Poor elevation in the pipe (Off grade), this can happen with poor construction practices where the slope of the pipe is either level or pitching up instead of sloping towards the desired route.
Sewer Services and First Steps To Best Practices
With new home builds, one of the first steps is to have an approved method of sewage disposal in place before being granted a building permit. In many jurisdictions, this will be the case.
This will entail either applying for a sewer connection or a permit to construct an onsite sewer system.
Getting the appropriate approval and permits typically involves a fair bit of paper shuffling, and for the uninitiated, it can seem quite a daunting task. …But it need not be so.
To help clarify, let’s get into the permit application process:
Sewer Line Connection Permit
If your area is serviced by a city sewer line, you may be able to connect your home to this utility if there is an existing sewer line running along the full frontage on at least one side of your property.
The sewer line will need to be able to handle the volume of wastewater generated by your household, and your property will need to meet any other criteria stipulated by your local municipality.
If your property qualifies for this service, there are several things to consider before connecting up to your local sewer service.
The homeowner or builder is responsible for providing the pipework that connects the home to the sewer connection point on the property boundary, and for ensuring that this connection conforms with all stipulated bylaws.
The homeowner or builder is also responsible for the construction costs relating to the wastewater connection between the home and the sewer line connection point.
Before you begin the construction of a new home, you will need to apply for a sewer and water connection, and get approval from your local authority before you can go ahead.
This typically includes submitting a certified legal site survey plan that has been prepared by an approved land surveyor, together with a completed application form obtainable from your local municipality’s engineering department.
Once the city’s engineering office has reviewed and approved your application, they will provide you with further details relating to your proposed sewer services, including the location, size, elevation and pumping requirements (if any); as well as information relating to your water service, such as expected water pressure, for example.
You will then need to submit this approved site plan together with your application for a building permit, which once approved, will allow you to go ahead with construction.
Once approval is obtained, connecting up to your local sewer line is a relatively straightforward process. But what if there is no local sewer service connection available? If that is the case, you will need to take care of wastewater treatment on your property by installing an onsite sewage system.
Onsite Septic System Permit Application
If you need to treat the wastewater your household generates on-site, you will need to ensure that the septic system installed is appropriately designed according to the site conditions and that it will be able to cope with the volume of wastewater generated.
This will require consulting with an authorized wastewater practitioner, who will conduct an onsite assessment.
Taking account of factors such as soil conditions (the type of soil, which influences how quickly water passes through the soil), topography, and proximity to fresh water sources (surface or underground aquifers).
Along with other ecologically sensitive areas, as well as the number of occupants and the estimated output.
Once a site evaluation has been done and the household requirements calculated, the wastewater practitioner will compile a report and design an onsite sewer system that best suits the site conditions and the household’s needs.
The site evaluation will reveal whether a conventional sewer system will suffice or whether an alternative septic system would be more suitable for the conditions on-site.
The wastewater practitioner will then file the house plans, septic system diagrams and maintenance plan for the sewage system, together with the applicable fee, to the local health authority to review.
If the health authority is satisfied that the septic system complies with safety standards and regulations and does not pose a potential public health risk, they will approve the application and issue a permit for construction.
Having an experienced wastewater practitioner who is familiar with the process handle the permit application process from the outset can be a boon, especially for an inexperienced homeowner who is building their first home.
But having a clearer understanding of the process and the steps involved can help avoid potential hiccups and ensure things run smoothly all around.
If you need sewer services from sewer connections, repair, replacement or septic system we’re happy to help:
