To keep sewer lines clean, West Burlington's Public Works Department routinely conducts Sewer Jetting on all lines throughout the city. This process occurs annually and is a critical tool for maintaining city infrastructure. There will be no street-by-street schedule, so please take recommended precautions over the next six weeks.
Important Precautions:
Keep toilet lids closed: During sewer cleaning, high-pressure water may create air pockets that push water back through your drains. This water will only be from your toilet or traps, not from the sewer main.
Jetting Sewer Lines: Information & Tips
What is Jetting? Jetting involves cleaning sanitary sewer lines using high-performance equipment. A nozzle is propelled from one manhole to the next with high-pressure water, then pulled back to scour the pipe’s interior. Debris is removed from the manhole with a vacuum unit. If roots are found, they are cut with a root cutter.
Routine Maintenance:
- Sewer lines needing more maintenance are cleaned annually or semi-annually.
- Sanitary lift stations are checked weekly and include wireless monitoring and alarm equipment for flows, backups, and power outages.
- This routine maintenance helps prevent blockages and backups, keeping our main sewer lines flowing consistently.
What to Expect:
- You may experience gurgling or bubbling water in toilets, sinks, or floor drains, and in rare cases, splashing out of the bowl.
- The water that may splash out is from the bowl or P-trap itself, not from the sewer main.
- Common causes of air venting into homes include air movement from cleaning operations, steep sewer line slopes, proximity to buildings, plugged roof vents, and complex home plumbing systems.
- To minimize splashing, keep toilet lids down.
- If you smell sewer gas, flush your toilet and pour water into your drains.
Homeowner Tips:
- Ensure your traps have water by adding a gallon to your drains if you smell sewage but have no obvious problems.
- Never flush disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, wet-wipes, rags, or other objects that might block pipes.
- Do not dump gas, grease, oil, antifreeze, paint, or other foreign objects down drains.
- Minimize food waste in garbage disposals and never dispose of cooking oils, greases, or coffee grounds.
Sewer Repairs:
- Property owners are responsible for cleaning service lines from the home to the sewer main connection.
