Keep It Clean

Take Care of Your Sewer Lateral

Maintaining your sewer lateral—the pipe that connects your home or business to the City’s main sewer line—is an important part of protecting your property, your community, and the environment.

Why It Matters

A damaged or clogged sewer lateral can lead to costly problems like sewage backups, property damage, and even health hazards. It can also affect the entire public sewer system.

As a property owner, you’re responsible for maintaining the sewer lateral on your property—from your building to where it connects with the City’s main line, usually under the street.

What You Can Do

Hire a Licensed Plumber

Always work with a qualified, licensed plumber to inspect and maintain your sewer lateral. They can identify cracks or blockages and install key features like:

• A cleanout for easier maintenance

• A backflow prevention device to help stop sewage from flowing back into your home

Planning to buy a property? Make sure the sewer lateral is inspected beforehand to avoid unexpected repair costs later.

Don’t Connect Drains or Gutters to the Sewer

Connecting rainwater drains or gutters to your sewer lateral can overload the system and increase the risk of backups and overflows.
Instead, direct rainwater to the street or a proper storm drain, not the sanitary sewer system.

Keep Your Sewer Pipes Clean

Fats, Oils & Grease (FOG)

Fats, oils, and grease—often called “FOG”—may seem harmless when washed down the drain, but they’re a major cause of sewer blockages.

When FOG builds up in your pipes, it can cause serious issues like:

• Sewage backups into your home or your neighbor’s
• Costly cleanups (often paid for by the property owner)
• Health risks from exposure to raw sewage
• Environmental damage, as overflows can reach parks, yards, and streets
• Higher sewer bills, due to increased maintenance for the entire system

The Bottom Line

Properly disposing of fats, oils, and grease helps protect your home, your neighborhood, and our shared sewer infrastructure.

What You Can Do

• Never pour FOG down the drain—not even with hot water or soap
• Collect grease in a can or jar, then throw it in the trash once it cools
• Collect grease in a paper cup stored in your freezer. Once it’s full, simply toss it in the trash on pickup day.
• Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing
• Scrape food scraps into the trash or compost bin

A little care goes a long way toward preventing sewer problems and protecting public health.

Watch What Goes Down the Drain

Most sewer overflows start at the kitchen sink—and it’s not just cooking oil.

Common culprits include:

• Meat fats
• Lard
• Cooking oil
• Shortening
• Butter and margarine
• Food scraps
• Baked goods
• Sauces
• Dairy products

These substances may go down as liquid, but they cool and harden inside the pipes—both in your home and in the public sewer system—causing blockages and overflows.

Never Put These Down the Drain or Toilet:

Whether it’s the sink, toilet, or garage drain, these items should always go in the trash or disposed of properly:

Grease & Oil:

• Cooking oil, fats, and grease
• Automotive oil, lawnmower grease, transmission fluid, antifreeze

Food Waste:

• Coffee grounds
• Eggshells
• Food chunks
• Produce stickers

Personal Products:

• Feminine hygiene products
• Paper towels
• Rags and wipes (including "flushables")
• Condoms
• Cat litter—even if labeled flushable

Household Chemicals:

• Solvents, paint, turpentine
• Nail polish and remover
• Flammable or explosive liquids
• Corrosive cleaners (acidic or caustic)
• Prescription or over-the-counter medications

A Note on “Flushables”

Even if it says “flushable” on the label, it doesn’t mean it’s safe for your plumbing. These products don’t break down easily and can clog pipes and pumps, causing damage to both private homes and public sewer systems.