Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Please review the following general FAQs, created
to assist you with common questions about sewer maintenance, services,
accounts, and development services.
If you have more questions, the Residential FAQs or
the Development FAQs
may have answers; or please contact
us for further clarification.
What causes a sewer stoppage?
Indications of a sewer stoppage include plumbing fixtures that do not
drain, sewage backing up into tubs, showers or toilets, or if a sewer
cleanout pipe exists next to the home, sewage may be seeping from the
sewer cleanout.
A sewer cleanout is a vertical pipe 4 inches in
diameter with a cap on it. A cleanout is used to insert maintenance
equipment to inspect or unclog your sewer service line.
In addition to the cleanout closest to your home
or property line, a sewer cleanout may exist in your yard.
“Property Line Cleanouts” are located in the
proximity of your property line and the street right-of-way. Most
property line cleanouts are buried 12”-24” deep
with a locator cap attached to the cleanout for Maintenance staff to
find the cleanout when necessary.
Cleanouts need to remain uncovered and in good
working condition to allow the District access to the sewer service
line and enables the District to assist the customer when/if sewer
stoppages occur. The District Maintenance department has as-built
permit drawings that show the location of your cleanout(s) if they
exist.
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What do I do if I have a sewer
stoppage?
When a stoppage occurs, the customer should
contact the Clark Regional Wastewater District at (360) 750-5876; this
number is monitored 24 hours a day, including holidays.
The District Maintenance department will assess
the stoppage to determine if the blockage is on the
District’s side of the sewer line or the homeowner's side of
the sewer line (i.e., private property side or street right-of-way
side). If the sewer line isn’t in the street, it most likely
is within a “Utility Easement”. The jurisdiction of
a Utility Easement is determined by the distance of the blockage from
the District’s “Mainline”.
The District will clear any blockage that occurs
in the “District’s Sewer Main”. The
District is responsible for sewer laterals, from
“Mainline” in the street to the “Property
Line Cleanout.”
Customers are responsible for blockages that occur
in the sewer lateral located between the house cleanout and the
property line cleanout. If there is no property line cleanout, the
District may use the homeowner’s cleanout next to the home to
clear the line or determine responsibility.
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Can I get a copy of my
property’s sewer permit drawing?
Yes. Please contact Tony
Bisson at (360) 993-8841, and it can be ready for you to pick
up at the reception desk or have emailed to you.
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What if I think the damage is the
District’s fault?
If you believe that the cause of the backup
is the District’s fault, please ask the Maintenance personnel
responding to your backup for the proper paperwork. Please fill out the
claims forms in their entirety and return to the District as soon as
possible. Determination of fault is generally worked out between
insurance companies.
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What causes a sanitary sewer to
backup?
Most sewer backups happen because the line is plugged with debris.
However, backups can be caused by several factors, including the
condition of the sanitary sewer system itself, natural phenomena such
as earth movement, and the incorrect usage of the system by the public.
Some common backup causes are:
- Solids / Debris
- Typical solids that build up in the pipe and cause backups are fats,
oil, grease (FOG), dirt, hair, bones, sanitary products, paper towels,
kitty litter, diapers, broken dishware, garbage, concrete, and debris.
When oil or grease is discharged into a sewer system, they will
solidify and, after a while, they can build up and plug drain lines in
your building or complex. They can also plug the sewer lines owned by
the District, thus increasing the maintenance cost to the District.
Plugged sewers can cause flooding of nearby private homes and
businesses.
- Tree Root Infiltration
– Tree roots are attracted to sewer lines because of the
sewer waters’ warm temperatures and food nutrients found in
the sewers. Tree roots can cause backups. Roots can infiltrate the pipe
system and clog the wastewater flow.
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I have a grinder or STEP system.
What do I need to know in case of a power outage?
Grinder and STEP (Septic Tank Effluent Pumping)
Systems are ‘low pressure sewer systems”.
They consist of a small diameter pressurized pipe called a
force main, a holding tank and a pump system that takes wastewater from
the home, collects and stores the wastewater and then pumps it through
the small force main into the larger collection system. The
storage and pumping system is located on the homeowner’s
property. A control panel will be located on the outside wall
of your building near the tank.
One of the basic concerns for pressure systems is
that the pumps will not work if there is a power outage.
Using bath and kitchen facilities during these periods could result in
a sewage backup onto your property. A properly installed
system should have backwater prevention valves called check valves that
will protect the house from a backup caused by the pressure system
pushing water back towards your house. It will not protect the
house from a full system where gravity is insufficient to drain the
pipes in the house. Remember, if the home is without power
for an extended period of time, the pump unit will not operate, and the
collection tank will not be able to be emptied.
In the event of a power outage with the tank at a
normal operating level (not in a high level alarm status), the holding
tank will have at least an additional 150 gallons of capacity available
beyond the alarm stage. Based upon limited usage in a power
outage situation, this will provide a two-person home with
approximately two days of light wastewater use (no dishwasher, clothes
washer or significant bath or shower use).
After an extended power outage, the holding tank
may have wastewater past the alarm level, which will trigger the alarm
to sound. You can silence the audible alarm and still have
the alarm light on. Your system should pump down the tank
over the next 15 to 20 minutes. If after 30 minutes your pump
system does not engage and lower the volume in the tank (the alarm
light is still on), you should call Bobbie Campbell at the District at
(360) 993-8829 to explain your situation.
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Where does the fat, oil and grease
come from?
Many sources. In the food industry, "grease" often
refers to fats and oils derived from animal and vegetable sources.
These include meats, cooking oils, nuts, cereals and beans, as well as
waxes and paraffins.
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What kinds of problems do fat, oil
and grease cause?
Sewer capacity constraints are frequently
caused by improper materials, including fats, oils, and greases being
introduced into the sewer system by District residents and businesses.
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How big is the grease problem?
From 50-70 percent of all sanitary sewer
system problem overflows are caused by accumulations of fats, oils and
greases discharged to it from the preparation and serving of food.
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What are those Sewer District
trucks doing in my street?
The Clark Regional Wastewater District’s Maintenance
department has implemented a preventative maintenance program of sewer
cleaning and closed circuit television inspection of the entire sewer
system. The periodic cleaning and televising of the sewer lines in your
neighborhood greatly reduce the risk of any grease buildup and/or
overflows.
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Can I contact the Clark Regional
Wastewater District for other utility-related questions?
The District is responsible for our sewer system only. Water is handled
through Clark Public Utilities (CPU) if you are in Clark County. They
can be reached at (360) 992-3000 or via the web at www.clarkpublicutilities.com.
Vancouver area residents may contact Vancouver Water Services at (360)
696-8152. City of Vancouver, Washington solid waste staff is available
to answer your questions and concerns about garbage, recycling and
solid waste services in our community and may be reached at (360)
696-8186.