Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

There is no charge to property owners for inspections completed during this program if the inspections are conducted by the City. Property owners have the option to hire a private plumber to complete their sump inspection only, in which case the plumber's fees would be at property owner's expense. 

A typical inspection is completed in under 15 minutes.

The inspector will be looking specifically for improper connections to the sanitary sewer and the water meter location (for material inventory) and will not be looking for anything else in your home.

Generally, if your property has a sump pump or seepage collection system, locate it and make sure it is visible to the inspector.  Locate and clear the area around your water meter to make sure the service material can be recorded.  Don't worry; if you need help with any of this, our inspectors can assist during the inspection.  

Yes, in the interest of fairness to all residents, all selected buildings will be inspected regardless of whether a sump pump or basement is present.  

Yes, it is mandatory to complete an inspection. The City's Ordinance No. 207 allows the City to verify compliance with plumbing code and verify no clear water connections to the sanitary sewer are present. In any event, it’s the neighborly thing to do to make sure your sump pump isn’t discharging into the sanitary sewer because your clear water may end up in someone’s basement as overflow.

In general, the inspector will be looking to verify that sump pumps, roof drains, and other clear water sources are not connected to the sanitary sewer system or have the potential to be connected.

The program area will be inspected in the fall/winter of 2024.  

Use this secure website to see all available times or call this number to schedule an appointment.

Yes, you may hire a licensed plumber to conduct the sump inspection.

 

If you want the sump pump inspection completed by a plumber, the inspection forms are available at City Hall and in the notice section. The plumber's fees for conducting the inspection will be at the Owner's expense. The completed form must be signed by a licensed plumber and returned to City Hall.

There is no penalty if your property isn't compliant during the initial inspection. We will require that the issue be corrected and reinspected within 90 days. 

The cost to correct plumbing will vary depending on the work to be performed. The majority of sump pump or seepage collection repairs, if needed, will be for relatively minor changes that can often be done by the homeowner with materials purchased at a hardware store for under $100. However, there are situations that may require more complicated work, such as the installation of a new sump pit, which could range from approximately $500 to $6,000. Each case will be different. We encourage you to seek advice from a licensed plumber or underground contractor if considering any major corrections. All work must be done in compliance with the current Universal Plumbing Code (UPC) and City Ordinances.

The City will not require you to install a sump pump if there are no potential clear water connections to the sanitary sewer. However, if you have a beaver drain (seepage collection system), roof drain, driveway drain, existing sump pit with no pump, or other clear water connection that is currently draining by gravity into your sanitary sewer, you may need to install a sump pump to redirect the clear water to the outside of the building to comply.

It depends on the repairs needed.  The majority of sump pump repairs are relatively minor, such as replacing a flexible hose with rigid pipe within the building, filling in an unused pit, or similar repairs.   Replacing a flexible hose with rigid pipe or filling in an unused pit within a typical home can often be done by the homeowner with materials purchased at a hardware store.   Sometimes, more complicated work is required.   Each case will be different. We encourage you to seek advice from a licensed plumber or underground contractor if you are considering any major corrections. All work, regardless of who performs it, must comply with the current Universal Plumbing Code (UPC) and City Ordinances.

A $100 monthly 'clear water' surcharge will be applied to your utility bill until an inspection is completed to verify that there are no clear water connections within your home or building.

Great question! There are two types of sewer systems running down each public street serving the homes and businesses on that block: sanitary sewer, and storm sewer. The sanitary sewer is intended to take dirty wastewater from our daily lives and convey it to the City's wastewater treatment plant, which sends the wastewater through an extensive series of mechanical, chemical, and biological purification processes before discharging it into the environment. Storm sewer is intended to take relatively clean rainwater and groundwater ('clear water') and convey it to the river with minimal treatment. The sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems are two separate piping systems that should remain separate. If stormwater enters the sanitary sewer, it can cause backups, overflows, and extra costs to the sewer rate payers to upsize the sanitary sewer to convey the excess clear water that shouldn’t be in the sanitary system to begin with.

Here are the items that should go into the sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems:

Sanitary: Toilets, showers, dishwashers, washing machines, and other 'dirty' water generated from our daily lives. Small volumes of furnace or dehumidifier condensate and water softener backwash are acceptable in the sanitary sewer.

Storm: Rainwater and groundwater from sump pumps, beaver drains (seepage collection systems), roof drains, gutters, exterior driveway or sidewalk drains, etc. Pools should be emptied into the storm sewer after being dechlorinated.

Some examples of proper and improper hookups are included in the public meeting presentation linked on the Notices page on this site.

See Storm Sewer vs Sanitary Sewer - Whats the difference? (PDF) for additional information. 

Yes, your basement floor drain should be connected to the sanitary sewer.

In most cases, your neighbor should be able to direct their discharge so it does not impact your property or the public right-of-way. City Ordinance requires that no discharge be directed in a way that impacts neighboring properties or any city street, sidewalk, or right-of-way.