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Water and Waste Department

Sewer pipe responsibilities for property owners

Illustration showing sewer pipe that property owners are responsible for

You own the sewer pipe from your home to the City's sewer main. This includes the part under your property and the part under City property.

Sewer backup

Your home insurance policy may cover sewer backup.

We are not responsible for sewer backup unless we have been negligent. If you believe this is the case, you or your insurance company can make a claim.

Step 1

Arrange and pay for a sewer cleaning contractor to clean your sewer. The sewer cleaning contractor may be able to clean out any debris or buildup, and restore your sewer services.

If the contractor cannot restore your sewer service due to a blockage, either under your property, or City property, continue with step 2.

Step 2 (if necessary)

If the sewer blockage is under your property

Arrange and pay for a licensed sewer contractor to make any repairs.

When you hire a licensed sewer contractor, we recommend that you:

  • get at least three estimates
  • ask for and check contractor references

Your contractor will be responsible for:

  • obtaining the necessary permits
  • repairing the sewer
  • arranging for us to inspect the repair

If the blockage is under City property
(between your property line and the City's sewer main)

Contact 311. We will:

  • check and determine if the problem is related to our sewer main or your private sewer pipe
  • deliver a Sewer Notice to you with an explanation of what we determined and the next steps for you to take

REMINDER: You own the sewer pipe from your home to the City sewer main.

Step 3 (if necessary)

If the blockage is in your private sewer pipe that is under City property (between your property line and the City’s sewer main) we will arrange and pay for the repair if:

  • the property is a single family dwelling which is owner-occupied.
  • the property is a two-family dwelling where at least one dwelling unit is owner-occupied

In order to confirm where the blockage is, we may ask you to:

  • arrange and pay for a second attempt from a different contractor to clean your sewer pipe
  • arrange and pay for a video inspection of your sewer pipe
  • arrange and pay for a tracing of your sewer pipe to determine its location
  • provide us with a history of any previous sewer cleanings
  • allow us into your home for inspections

Top of page

Repairing the sewer

A sewer repair usually takes three to five business days. Some of the steps involved in a sewer repair are:

  • getting estimates from the list of licensed contractors
  • choosing a contractor based on the lowest price and how quickly the contractor can do the work
  • getting the necessary permits
  • getting clearances from utility companies (e.g., Manitoba Hydro)
  • inspecting the repair

During this time, you may be without sewer service.

If you have any questions, contact 311.

Last updated: May 19, 2023

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