Sewer Maintenance
Sewer Maintenance on Main Wastewater Lines
The Town's primary responsibility for the sewer system is to maintain unobstructed wastewater flow in the collection system. To accomplish this, the Town routinely cleans sewer lines and performs preventive maintenance and repairs. If you experience a sewer system backup, observe a clean-out or sewer manhole overflowing, please notify the Town of Cary as soon as possible by calling the Public Works and Utilities Customer Service Department at (919) 469-4090.
Sewer Stoppages and Sewer Spills
When a stoppage or sewer spill occurs, contact the Public Works & Utilities Department at (919) 469-4090, Mon-Fri 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. or (919) 469-4012 after hours and on holidays. The Town will assess the stoppage to determine if the blockage is on the Town's side of the sewer line or the homeowner's side of the sewer line.
The Town of Cary will clear blockages that occur in the main sewer line or in the sewer lateral, from the main line to the clean out pipe at the edge of the property. The sewer clean out is a vertical, capped, 4" pipe that provides direct access to the sewer system.
Homeowners are responsible for blockages that occur in the sewer lateral, located between the clean out pipe and the dwelling. If there is no clean out pipe at the edge of the property, the homeowner is responsible for blockages that occur anywhere in the sewer lateral.Backwater Valve
The North Carolina Building Code requires a backwater valve to be installed, if the plumbing fixtures are below the top of the first, upstream manhole on the street. A properly operating backwater valve allows flow to go only in one direction; thus preventing wastewater from entering your building during regular sewer system maintenance or inadvertent sewer system backups.
To find out if you have or need a backwater valve, check your plumbing plans or consult with your builder or professional plumber. If sewage backs up into your home, the cost to repair damages and clean up may be high and towns cannot be held liable for damages when a backwater valve has not been installed by a property owner. For more information, call the Inspections & Permits Department at (919) 469-4340.
