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Always Call Before You Clear

Sewer blocked? Protect your home with a sewer safety inspection

Blocked sewer lines and flooded basements can be stressful—learn how to resolve clogged sewers quickly and safely.

Blockages in pipes located inside your home can often be cleared safely on your own. But what should you do if a sewer or septic line located outside your home becomes blocked? Before you or a plumber attempt to clear the line, it's important to request an emergency sewer safety inspection. This free service helps identify potential hazards and can prevent damage or injury.

If you're noticing signs of a blocked sewer, request a FREE sewer safety inspection before any clearing work begins. Inspections are available 24/7 and are treated as emergencies so issues can be addressed as quickly as possible.

Common signs of a blocked sewer include:

  • Slow-draining sinks, tubs, or showers
  • Gurgling sounds from drains or toilets
  • Sewage backups in drains or fixtures
  • Unpleasant sewer odors inside or outside your home

If you suspect a blocked sewer line, contact your local utility notification center or sewer safety inspection provider for assistance before attempting any excavation or clearing work.

What is a cross bore?

Although rare, sometimes natural gas lines can cross through septic or sewer pipes underground. This is called a ‘cross bore.’ These intersecting pipes can often co-exist safely and go undetected—until the sewer pipe is blocked and needs to be cleared. Motorized or water-jetting equipment that’s used to clear a clogged drain could damage the natural gas line. The result is an immediate risk to public safety, including a gas leak, fire or explosion.

How does a cross bore occur?

Cross bores are rare, but they do exist. Through the process of trenchless drilling, costly damage to yards, sidewalks and streets is minimized. However, sewer lines are traditionally difficult to locate, unlike other types of underground utilities. Since they're made of non-metallic materials and are installed without any type of aid that allows them to be located above ground, natural gas lines may unintentionally be installed through existing infrastructure. Thankfully, due to more recent locate technology and significant investment, we’re now able to prevent cross bores from occurring.

Smell gas? Act fast!

Natural gas smells like rotten eggs or sulphur, so you know right away if there’s a leak. Natural gas is not toxic, but it is highly flammable. If you smell gas or think you have a gas leak, leave the area immediately and call Enbridge Gas Emergency number or 911 from a safe distance (like a neighbour’s home).

Signs that a natural gas line has been damaged during the clearing of a sewer service line:

Rotten egg

Smell of rotten eggs or sulphur

Bubbles

Bubbling water

Snake near an ear

Hissing or whistling sounds

Dirt blowing in the wind

Blowing dirt near a gas line

Frequently asked questions

When we install natural gas pipelines, we’re required to identify and locate private sewer lines that may potentially intersect with the new natural gas pipeline, to ensure we install it safely. This inspection may require access to the sewer lines from inside homes, even if your home is not connected to natural gas.

If we’re in your neighbourhood, we may need access to your basement to complete the inspection. We’ll provide you with notification—all our service technicians can be identified by an Enbridge Gas licensed contractor photo identification card.

Homeowners or licensed plumbers run the risk of damaging a natural gas line when using motorized or water-jetting equipment to clear a blocked sewer line. Once damaged, the gas line could leak or rupture, causing the release of natural gas. Natural gas is not toxic, but it is highly flammable.

When you request a sewer safety inspection, the appropriate service provider in your area will be notified. A technician will visit your property to determine whether a clogged sewer line is present and assess the potential for a cross bore. If there is no risk of a cross bore, sewer-clearing activities can proceed. If a potential cross bore is identified, the utility will be notified and additional safety measures will be taken before any clearing work begins.

Yes. Before starting any digging project, you or your contractor must contact Ontario One Call (Canada) or 811 (United States) to request utility locates. Whether you're landscaping, building a fence, planting a tree or garden, installing a deck, or completing another project that disturbs the ground, utility lines must be located and marked before digging begins.

Locators from natural gas, water, sewer, electric and telecommunications companies will visit your home and paint or put flags to mark underground lines. Digging without a locate can damage lines. This poses a safety hazard, can cause loss of service and is also subject to fines. Never assume your contractor has taken care of it. Work in collaboration with them, and ask for verification that they’ve requested a locate before they start digging. Marking the location of buried facilities is a free service.