Construction in Your Area

If a new sewer line is being installed on your street, you may smell an odour.

Typically sewer odours in the house are caused by dry or broken plumbing wastewater traps. These traps are meant to maintain a water barrier in the pipes to keep sewer odour from entering the home. In rarely used drains, the water in the trap can evaporate, leaving no water barrier to prevent the odour.

The sewer lateral line is the length of pipe that runs from your house or building to the City’s sewer main; this entire length is considered the private portion of the sewer.

If the lateral line is being replaced on your street, you can expect:

• Survey crews to determine the property and identify it with paint lines or stakes.
• A ‘clean out’ to be installed. This is a temporary access point that stands 0.4 metres (1.5 feet) above the ground. It facilitates cleaning the pipe prior to lining. If the access point is in your driveway or on your walkway, a steel plate is placed over the clean out until temporary asphalt is laid.
• To receive a notice one week before the lining.
• On the day of the lining, a Liqui-Force representative comes to your door to inform you that your service will be temporarily interrupted. They will suggest you open your windows if you experience any odours.
• Once the liner is installed, the ‘clean out’ is buried, all stakes are removed and your property is returned to the condition it was found.

A temporary bypass watermain may be installed to limit water service disruption.

If a bypass line is being placed on your property, you should expect:

• Workers to request access to your water meter in your home to install and disconnect the bypass. A City policy requires water meter information in order to track service interruption. Water consumption is adjusted during the next actual billing period.
• Your home to receive water through an above ground temporary PVC piping network installed along the curb or ditch line on your street. A blue hose is connected to your home with a Y connector via the outside hose tap. The Y connector allows you to receive water.
• To disconnect any water treatment systems, water cooled air conditioners, automatic lawn sprinklers or similar plumbing fixtures during construction. Their efficiency may be affected due to the construction. The City will not be responsible for costs of damages to these fixtures.