Sewer Maintenance Policy

  1. The Department of Public Works (DPW) conducts sanitary sewer maintenance work on a daily basis, and certain trouble areas are addressed on a schedule: (3 months, 6 months, root treating, root cutting, caustic treatment, etc.)
  2. The Town Engineer and Highway Superintendent review the sewer maintenance log biannually, and compile a list of "areas of concern", and set up and schedule a maintenance plan to ensure that problem areas are addressed as needed.
  3. This work is performed by the DPW sewer crew, who are licensed and trained to perform sewer maintenance work. A detailed list of maintenance work performed, distance flushed, chemicals or cutters used, and date and time of work, are kept in the sewer crew log book.
  4. This maintenance list is an ever-changing document, adjusted as situations arise, or areas of concern are repaired and taken off of the list.
  5. The Town responsibility, in relation to sewer maintenance, is as follows: The Town is responsible for maintenance and repair of any mainline sanitary sewer line. The Town is responsible for any repair (broken pipe, crushed pipe) to the homeowner sanitary sewer service line that is within the public way. The homeowner is responsible for sanitary sewer service line maintenance (ex. roots, grease, etc.) from the house to the main sewer line. Any question on whether the service line problem is on Town property or private property, must be proved by the homeowner through a private company, before any consideration will be given for Town responsibility, and/or repair within the public way.