Annual Sanitary Sewer Cleaning

2025 Annual Sanitary Sewer Cleaning

Annual sanitary sewer cleaning will occur beginning the week of May 26th through the middle of June.

Each year, the City of Excelsior Utilities Department cleans approximately one-third of the City's sanitary sewer pipes. Lines requiring a higher level of maintenance are cleaned annually or semi-annually. This routine maintenance helps to prevent blockages and backups.

The sanitary sewer lines are cleaned using high performance sewer cleaning equipment. A cleaning nozzle is propelled from one manhole to the next using water under high pressure. The nozzle is then pulled back to the starting manhole. As the nozzle is pulled back, water scours the inside of the sanitary sewer pipe. Any debris in the pipe is pulled back with the water. The debris is removed from the manhole with a vacuum unit. This process is repeated on every sewer line cleaned. 

During cleaning of sanitary sewer lines, air occasionally vents into a home through the sanitary sewer service line and ventilation system. When this happens, water in the toilet bowel can bubble or surge or, in rare instances, splash out of the bowl. The common causes of air venting into homes during sanitary sewer cleaning are:

• Air movement from normal cleaning operations
• The use of higher pressure needed when cleaning sanitary sewer lines that have a steep slope
• Sewer lines running close to the building
• Improper sewer venting
• A plugged roof vent
• The size and complexity of the home's waste and ventilation system

To minimize water splashing out of your toilet bowel, keep the lid down.

This year sewer cleaning is scheduled for the areas marked on the map listed below. 

If you have any questions, please contact the City of Excelsior Utilities Department at 952-653-3678.

Thank you for your understanding.