Take care of preventing the damming of your property's sewer pipes

Sewage damage often happens suddenly and unexpectedly. When water gets into the structures and premises of the property, there may be extensive repair measures ahead. Damage is most commonly caused by sewage rising into the property.

- For example, in connection with real estate renovations, there may have been drainage points left in the real estate, which are below the dam height. Whenever renovations are made to the property, the customer should contact building control to clarify these issues, says the network master Kari Mäkelä From the water of Imatra.

The owner of the property is responsible for protecting the property and preventing damming

The responsibilities and obligations of the water utility's customers are based on to the general delivery conditions of Imatra water, which are based on national recommendations. Imatra's water supply conditions have been approved by the Imatra city council.

- The delivery conditions are the same for all customers, and even in cases of sewer damage, all customers are treated the same, states the water supply engineer Anu Nikulainen From the water of Imatra.

According to the terms of delivery, the customer must protect his drained premises below the dam height. Damping height refers to the level to which sewage water can rise in the network when the sewer is flooded. Floods occur, for example, in spring and summer when rain and snow melt, when the transmission capacity of the network is exceeded.

- An accession agreement has been made with the property owners, which contains information about the dam. If the lowest drainage point is below the dam height, this is clearly mentioned in the contract. The affiliation agreement will be transferred to the new owner in connection with the property sale, says Nikulainen.

The prevention of damming the property is part of the construction regulations set by the Ministry of the Environment.

- The property owner is responsible for dam prevention devices, their use and maintenance, says the HVAC inspector Tuomas Moilanen from the city of Imatra.

In the event of sewer damage, the first thing to do is contact the water company

In the event of sewer damage, the first thing to do is contact the water company. An expert is sent from the water utility to investigate the damage situation and make the necessary damage surveys.

If the property's lowest sewer point is above the dam height, the water utility will compensate for the sewer damage, if the blockage is in the part of the sewer that the city is responsible for. The liability limit is usually the plot limit.

- If the drainage point is below the damming height and the pipeline lacks damming equipment, home insurance usually does not cover damages. You can already proactively find out about the compensation issue from your own insurance company, advises Mäkelä.

For more information:

network master Kari Mäkelä, Imatra water, kari.makelaimatra.fi (kari[dot]makela[at]imatra[dot]fi), tel. 020 617 4383

water supply engineer Anu Nikulainen, Imatra Vesi, anu.nikulainenimatra.fi (anu[dot]nikulainen[at]imatra[dot]fi), tel. 020 617 4333

Plumbing inspector Tuomas Moilanen, city of Imatra, tuomas.moilanenimatra.fi (tuomas[dot]moilanen[at]imatra[dot]fi), tel. 020 617 4453