Sewer Lateral Frequently Asked Questions

No.  Sewer clean out services are not free.  Our fees vary and are posted on the  Sewer Lateral page.

However, at our discretion, the City may provide one (1) free video inspection of your private sewer lateral during regular hours (as posted on the Environmental Services page).  These inspections use a scope and are performed on an as-requested basis.  They may be postponed when staff are required to address higher priority situations (e.g. flooding and sewer lateral blockages).  

If you're simply looking to reduce the risk of sewer backups, we've posted an Avoiding Sewer backups pamphlet.  You can also learn more about avoiding the common sources of sewer blockages.

 To request any service, please contact our Service Centre directly at 905-356-1355 (available 24/7).  For non-emergencies only, you can also email us at [email protected].

A sanitary sewer service (or sanitary lateral) is the underground pipe that carries wastewater or sewage from private property to the City's main sewer. The property line is the delineating mark to determine what portion of the lateral is owned by the homeowner or by the City.Categories: Municipal Works, Sewer Lateral, WRAP

A sewer lateral is a pipe that is connected from your house to the City's sewer system located in the street. The sewer lateral pipe transfers all of the wastewater produced from your household into the City's sanitary sewer.Categories: Municipal Works, Sewer Lateral, WRAP

You can contact the City of Niagara Falls, Infrastructure Section between the office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to schedule an appointment to have your sewer lateral inspected.

Phone: (905) 356-7521 Ext. 4211/4212 Email: [email protected]Categories: Municipal Works, Sewer Lateral, WRAP

Property owners own and are responsible for all of the water and sewer services and plumbing from property line all the way into their home.
This means that any leaks or pipe failures that occur on private property are the responsibility of the owner. This includes any failure of the inside water shut off valve before the water meter as well as any piping or connections to the water meter.
The water meter belongs to the City but is paid for by the property owner (through initial installation or building permit). It is the property owners responsibility to ensure the meter is kept in an appropriate environment that will not allow damage to occur to the meter, such as freezing temperatures. Damaged or frozen meters due to misuse are to be paid by the property owner.
The curb stop is at the property line and is the responsibility of the City unless it is damaged after the subdivision inspection.Categories: Municipal Works, Sewer Lateral, Water Meter