The Public Works Department is responsible for maintaining 107 miles of sanitary sewer main, 41 sewer lift stations and more than 2,800 sewer manholes to ensure uninterrupted conveyance of wastewater to the Blue Lake Wastewater Treatment Facility in Shakopee, Minnesota.

Sewer Backups

If you are experiencing a sewer backup and do not know where the blockage is, contact the Public Works Department to see if one of our utility crew members can determine the location of the problem.  Residents can avoid unnecessary charges if the problem is in the City’s sewer line rather than in the property service line.  Property owners are responsible for clearing any blockage in the service line between the home and the sanitary sewer main.  This includes debris and tree roots.  The property owner is also responsible for cleaning and repairing any damage done to their property by the backup.

Sanitary sewer line blockages are typically caused by roots, grease, and other items such as "flushable" wipes, diapers, rags or other hygiene products that are improperly flushed down the drain or toilet.  Tree roots can enter the sewer system at joints and cracks in the service lines and mains.  Grease can solidify in the sewer lines and restrict other waste from flowing through. 

Rags, diapers and "flushable" wipes get caught in the lift station pumps, which can result in costly backups for an entire neighborhood if the pumps are unable to convey the wastewater as needed. Do not flush "flushable" wipes or anything other than toilet paper down the drain. The city is not automatically liable for blockages in the sanitary sewer system; the city is only liable for damages if the backup was caused by the city‘s negligence. The sanitary lift stations are checked twice weekly and include equipment to monitor flows, backups and power outages. This routine maintenance helps to prevent blockages and back-ups.

Check your homeowner's insurance for information about coverage for sanitary sewer backups.  Most homeowner's insurance policies exclude damage resulting from sewer backups, although many insurance providers have insurance riders that can be purchased to insure loss due to sewer backups.

Sump Pumps

Sewer backups may also occur from the improper discharge of a sump pump. It is illegal to discharge a sump pump into the basement sewer drain or laundry tub. Sump pumps must be discharged outside of the house into the yard or other drainage way so as to prevent the water from draining directly to the street.  Additional information can be found in the city ordinance section 705.1500.

Sewer Jetting (Cleaning)

Most sewer main lines run under the street; however, some run through utility easements adjacent to your residence and near the lake shore.  Each year, Public Works utility crews clean about one-third of the city’s sanitary sewer lines, primarily during the summer months.  Lines requiring a higher level of maintenance are cleaned annually or semi-annually. 

The sanitary sewer lines are cleaned using high performance sewer cleaning equipment.  A cleaning nozzle is propelled from one manhole to the next using water under high pressure.  The nozzle is then pulled back to the starting manhole.  As the nozzle is pulled back, water scours the inside of the sanitary sewer pipe.  Any debris in the pipe is pulled back with the water.  The debris is removed from the manhole with a vacuum unit.  If roots are found, they are cut with a root cutter.  This process is repeated on every line cleaned.

Here are photos of some of the equipment you may see in your neighborhood when our crews are cleaning or televising the sewers:          

      - Air movement from normal cleaning operations
      - The use of higher pressure when cleaning sanitary sewer lines that have a steep slope
      - Sewer lines running close to a structure
      - A plugged roof vent
      - The size and complexity of the home’s waste and ventilation system 
To minimize water splashing out of your toilet bowl when crews are working in your neighborhood, make it a habit to keep the lid down.