A new city policy is giving homeowners more options when it comes to dealing with sewer backups, a problem more common in Sudbury than other communities because of our aging infrastructure.
Currently, when a sewer backup occurs, homeowners have to call *Ontario One Call (1-800-400-2255) to request the Sewer Safety Inspection to get an inspection of the pipes, as well as call a plumber to clear the blockage.
If the plumber suspects the problem is on municipal property, they call city staff. The city then verifies where the property line runs and the location of the blockage. If the problem is on city property, the plumber is told to bill the city for the cost of clearing the blockage, up to a maximum of two hours.
Staff also makes whatever repairs are required to ensure a similar blockage doesn't occur again.
Nick Benkovich, the city's director of water and waste water services, told a recent meeting of the operations committee that the existing policy was a source of stress to many homeowners, who aren't sure how to handle such emergencies.
“We know these emergencies can cause a lot of damage very quickly,” Benkovich said.
There are 773 kilometres of sanitary pipes underground in Greater Sudbury, with an average age of 48 years. The city received about 200 calls a year related to sewer backups, out of a customer base of 46,000. In 2012, the city reported 5.97 backups for every 100 kilometres of pipe, second only to Toronto – with 9.96 – among major cities in Canada.
One of the major causes are cracked pipes, which allow tree roots to expand inside the pipe, eventually causing a blockage. Another major cause is residents pouring grease down their drains, which gradually builds up until it blocks the pipe.
Under the new system, homeowners will have two options: they can call the city directly, and will be told how to arrange an inspection by Ontario One Call. The city will dispatch a plumber within an hour, who will clear the blockage and use cameras to determine the exact cause and location.
City staff will review the information and determine where the blockage occurred: on the homeowner's property or on the city's. The city will pay the plumber if it occurred on city property, or will bill the homeowner if it was on their land.
The city will also fix the problem and charge the homeowner a flat rate and provide and explanation of all the work done.
Under the second option, homeowners must still arrange the Ontario One Call inspection, but then can call a plumber of their choice. They will have to provide certain information proving the blockage was on city property if they want to be reimbursed for the cost of the plumber.
Under the old policy, Benkovich said homeowners often didn't get information from their plumber about the location of the blockage, making it difficult to get their money back if they believe the problem was on city property.
“That caused a lot of concerns for the residents,” he said. Using closed circuit cameras to get a look inside of the pipe “takes the mystery” out of the process, he said.
Cheryl Beam, the city's Supervisor of distribution and collection, said the next step will be meeting with local plumbers so everyone knows what is expected when a backup occur.
“We need to have a meeting with the plumbers … to get the news out about the changes,” Beam said. “We want to make sure we're holding everyone to the same standards.”
Once that process is complete, the city hopes to issue a tender for the work in March, with an eye on implementing the program in April.
*Note: an earlier version of this story said customer should call Union Gas for a safety inspection of their pipes, as was outlined in the city presentation. However, a spokesperson for Union Gas says it would be quicker for customers to contact Ontario One Call directly.
