Notes From the Water Pollution Control Facility

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:24:15 -0500

Drain Connections

Back in October 1996 the Town instituted a new policy regarding the Sewer Use Ordinance which prohibits the connection of basement floor drains, roof drains, sump pumps and any other sources of stormwater to the sanitary sewer. Such connections can contribute to Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO) of raw sewage into the Penobscot River from the Wastewater Treatment Plant following heavy rainstorms and/or during spring run-off periods when flows may exceed the plant’s capacity. If your property has a basement floor drain connected to the sewer line, it must be disconnected. A basement floor drain may instead be connected to a storm drain and provided with a proper trap and backwater valve or be fitted with a sump pump and discharged to an appropriate natural outlet.

The Town has honored claims of property owners for any damages resulting from a backup in the Town’s sewer line even though there may have been an illegal drain connection. The cost to continue this practice has become prohibitive. Henceforth, any claim which arises as the result of the prohibited connection of a basement floor drain to the sanitary sewer will not be honored. An acceptable temporary measure would be to plug the floor drain with an expandable drain plug that can be purchased at your local hardware store.