Storm & Sanitary Sewers | Town of Midland

The Town of Midland Water and Wastewater Department monitors and manages sewage systems and overflows. In the event of an overflow, we report the time, location, and estimated volume of discharge.

Our goal is to notify the public within 12 hours of any occurrence.

Storm Sewer System

The municipal storm sewer system carries the rain and snow melt water that reaches the towns catch basins. These basins are typically found along the side of roadways or in parking lots. Water that enters a storm drain is NOT treated to remove pollutants.

It is important to not dispose of any waste materials into any storm water collection point. Catch basins are never an option to dispose of hazardous materials such as paints, oil, grout wash water or drywall mud.

Sanitary Sewer System

The municipal sanitary sewer system is a system of underground pipes that transport wastewater from the privately owned buildings to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Manholes are used at designated intervals in a sewer line as a means of access for inspection or cleaning.

The sewage is treated at the wastewater treatment plant and treated water is discharged in the bay. Disposing of certain items can upset the process of treating sewage - See the List of items

Sanitary Lateral Backups

A sanitary lateral is an underground pipe outside of your home that carries wastewater from your sinks, toilets, laundry, showers, etc. to the town’s sanitary sewer mains.

If not cared for properly it can lead to a sewage blockage in your home - See the List of Items you should not be disposing.

What Not to Flush

Cooking oils, fats, grease, bacon drippings, butter
Baby wipes, “flushable” wipes, paper towels, tissues, and napkins
Feminine hygiene products, cotton swabs, cotton balls, and dental floss
Medications, vitamins, and supplements
Paint, solvents, cleaners, pesticides, fertilizers, and other household chemicals
Motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline, and automotive fluids
Coffee grounds, tea leaves, eggshells, food scraps, and kitchen waste
Hair, pet fur, kitty litter, disposable masks, and gloves

Owner’s Responsibilities

Property owners must use the private sewer lateral in a responsible manner to maximize its life and efficiency. This includes clearing, cleaning and or having inspections of blocked private sewer laterals regardless of cause or location.

Town’s responsibilities

Town Maintenance Responsibilities

Offer a sewer lateral inspection to assist the owner in troubleshooting, and offer alternate solutions for dealing with the blockage
Responsible for all Main Sewer Lines
Responsible for the Sewer Lateral from the main to the property line as part of any road reconstruction and/or main line replacement
The Town will repair damage to the Sewer Lateral at no cost to the owner should the cause of the blockage be on Town property and caused by poor workmanship or negligence on the part of the Town. Additionally, if the cause is found to be a failure of the pipe material, on the Town’s property.

Non-Town Maintenance Responsibilities

The Town assumes no responsibility for any defects within the Sewer Lateral
The Town shall not be required to cleanup any sewage or water backup in the basement or other areas of the owner’s property.
The Town assumes no responsibility for any maintenance of the Private Sewer Lateral (equipment rental costs and/or contractor costs, routine rodding, cleaning) regardless of the determined cause or location of blockage or failure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are sewer overflows?

A sewer overflow occurs when untreated sewage from the sanitary or combined sewer systems is discharged into the environment, such as streets, waterways, or basements.

In the Town of Midland, most overflows are caused by combined sewers systems that carry both sewage and stormwater. During heavy rainfall or snowmelt, these systems can become overwhelmed, leading to overflows.

Is there a way to stop the overflows?

Wastewater system operators do not have control over when overflows happen.

The Wastewater Treatment Facility is built to safely handle large amounts of water. When flows become higher than normal, the extra water is directed to a storm tank for temporary storage. If the storm tank fills up during extreme weather, an overflow may occur. Even in this situation, the water still receives partial treatment to protect the environment as much as possible.

This prevents damage to the facilities bacteriological processes and equipment.

Who do I call for sewer gas smell in my home?

Sewer gas smell within a home is normally due to an issue within the private plumbing of a home. Call a plumber to investigate.

What is being done to prevent sewer overflows?

The Town of Midland has invested in; an Infiltration and Inflow study to better understand where problems exist and, a Master Wastewater Plan (2019).

The information created and summarized by these studies will ultimately lead to source control strategies, a financially viable and a preferred path towards sewage overflow reduction.

What do I do if my sewer backs up into my basement?

If a back-up from a sanitary sewer enters the home, please call 705-526-4275 to arrange for a Wastewater Operator to come and verify the blockage is not on the main line.

Once the Operator verifies that it is not that main line, the property owner is responsible for determining the cause of the back up and to call a plumber to investigate. The qualified plumber will determine the cause of the blockage and where it is located.

Can I bring my RV to the Wastewater Plant to pump out?

RVs can empty their tanks at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (200 Bay St.) from Monday to Fridays between the hours of 7:30am-11:45am and 12:45pm-3:00pm.

Please buzz at the front gate and speak with a Town employee prior to entering the property even if the gate is open.