Inflow and Infiltration
Residents play an important role in reducing extra groundwater and rainwater in the sewer system, known as inflow and infiltration, which can lead to sewer overflows into homes, businesses, and the environment.
Extra water enters sewers through:
- Holes or cracks in pipes caused by damage, age, or tree roots
- Leaky pipe joints and maintenance covers
- Roof and foundation drains that are improperly connected to a property’s sanitary sewer line
We partner with MetroVancouver to manage water and sewage delivery.
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As a property owner, you are responsible for maintaining the sewer lines on your property, up to where it meets the City's sewer connection.
Maintenance may involve renewing your sewer lines by relining pipes to extend their life span, or by replacing them entirely (with pipes resistant to tree roots, for example).
To upgrade your sewer lines, call a private plumbing contractor to help you to determine the scope of the work. Your contractor would contact the City to obtain permits before the work starts, and to inspect the work after it's completed.
Methods for repairing and renewing sewer connections
The main methods for renewing a sewer connection from the home to where the home sewer line meets the main sewer line are:
- Open trenching - existing sewer lines are excavated and replaced
- Pipe bursting - existing sewer lines are replaced in their place
- Pipe relining - repairing existing sewer lines temporarily until a more permanent solution can be found
