Preventative Maintenance

In the City of East Peoria the homeowner or business owner is responsible for the sanitary sewer lateral from their home to the connection on the main. Fortunately, many sewer problems may be avoided through maintenance by the homeowner. Here are a few suggestions for avoiding future problems.

Tree Roots

Tree roots and shrubs tend to seek moisture and their roots system will find a crack in your pipe. These roots over time will grow and eventually cause a blockage, which in turn will create a backup. If you continue to have a root problem it may be necessary to hire a plumber or contractor to cut them out regularly. When the roots have caused the line to be broken, it may be necessary to repair or replace the line.

Paper Products

Paper towels, diapers, wipes and feminine products cause problems in sewer service/lateral pipe. Unlike bathroom toilet paper, many of these products do not deteriorate quickly. Once the product is flushed it may become lodged in your lateral causing a backup. Some of these products may go through your lateral and become lodged in the main and cause a problem for a neighbor. Please dispose of these products in the regular garbage.

Grease

People still dispose of grease/cooking oil down the drain. They believe that if they wash the grease down with hot water everything will be fine. The grease will go down the drain, but when the water has stopped the grease solidifies in your homes plumbing system or lateral. Over time the line will become restricted and eventually clogs. Put grease/cooking oil in a heat resistant container and dispose of once is has cooled in the garbage. Dry wipe all plates, bowls, pots and pans with paper towels or napkins before rinsing.

Grease Buildup in Sewer System

The build-up of grease will cause blockages to occur in both your household and public sewer system. Sewer lines become coated and have less capacity to carry the wastewater. This will lead to increased sanitary sewer backup and flooding into homes, which will mean increased cost of maintenance and repair of sewer pipes.

Excessive grease that enters the treatment facility causes interference and operations problems. Blocked sewer pipes, if detected, can also cause the release of untreated sewerage (sanitary sewer overflow) onto the streets creating an environmental issue.

Backflow Prevention

Due to construction of your home, a sewer back flow prevention device may be placed on the sanitary sewer lateral prior to leaving your home. The device prevents the backing up of sewer into your home during heavy rainfalls. These devices should be located in the home and should be inspected and maintained on an annual basis. This is a more cost effective way to reducing potential backups.