Sanitary Sewer

In Lansdowne Borough sewer laterals (line from property to Lansdowne Boroughs main) is the responsibility of the property owner from the house up to and including the connection at the main. What this means is that the property owner must maintain this in a working condition for the health and welfare of not only the individual but for all Borough residents.  If you suspect you are having a problem with your sewer and none of your neighbors are having any problems it is safe to assume the problem is yours and you should contact a plumber to repair. If you believe it is the Borough’s line that is the problem please call 610-622-6318 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. At any other time please dial 911 and an officer will be dispatched and notify the proper personnel.

Sanitary Sewer Reminders

It has been brought to our attention by a few residents recently that they are unsure about the Borough’s policy on sewer laterals (sewage line from your property to the Borough’s sewer main). In the Borough of Lansdowne, as well as most Delaware County communities, the property owner is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the lateral until it connects to the Borough’s main. This includes any portion that may be in the roadway.

Common Sewer Issues & How to Help Minimize Back-Ups

Nothing except toilet paper should be flushed down toilets. The large majority of residential sewer problems we see are caused by grease, flushable wipes, and feminine products. Continuous flushing of these items can cause a severe back up that requires thousands of dollars of excavation to repair.

Grease

Grease should never be poured down drains no matter how hot because it will eventually solidify in the sewer. Once this happens it is very costly to break and remove. This is the easiest item to not put in the sewers. Keep an old jar/container in the kitchen to discard grease into and save yourself added plumbing repairs and help keep down sewer fees as well.

Flushable Wipes

These are flushable but the problem comes from the fact that they are a woven product and do not break down like toilet paper. In older communities like Lansdowne, there may be some offset pipes or pipes with jagged edges that catch these items and allow them to build up and eventually cause a backup into the property.  There are currently several lawsuits across the country related to flushable wipes for damages and maintenance required to sewer systems and/or to change the labeling of the product to a more accurate description.

Feminine Products

No need to go into great detail here, they are made to absorb and that’s what they do which makes it difficult to flow down the lines.

Licensed Plumber

I have been having an ongoing problem with sewer back-ups, what should I do? Sewer backups do happen occasionally, but if you continually have a problem it is something that needs to be checked out professionally. I would suggest televising your lateral; this should show you exactly what the problem is. It does have an upfront cost but provides the most accurate information before excavating. Be sure to notify your plumber that in Lansdowne, the property owner owns the entire line to the main connection and you want the entire lateral televised. In some cases they will not be able to, but be sure to mention it, you are paying for the service.

Find a licensed plumber. Move your cursor over the Consumer heading and select Consumer Home Improvement Information. Select Registered Contractors, and follow the directions from there. For any specific questions please email Codes in Lansdowne.