Sewer Saga Part 1

Lazy Gnome panicked: the grade slopes toward the foundation along the entire perimeter of the house. So, last fall, in preparation for some quick repair work, Lazy Gnome called Alberta One-Call to mark the underground utilities. Lesson #1: Alberta One-Call is no longer “one call”. They will locate and mark underground gas and electrical at no cost, but won’t even look for water lines. So, advice for them: time to re-brand!

A plumbing company eventually located their locator device and their staff member who knows how to use it. He located the waterline, which is done by scoping the sewer because the waterline is always beside the sewer. Well, the scoping is interesting as the camera feeds a picture of your sanitary line which you can see through the viewer. It’s a bit like a ride at the carnival because the camera doesn’t stay right side up, so your view is continually spinning around. After he located the water and sewer line, he marked it and wouldn’t you know it: it goes diagonally across the back yard! Couldn’t be any longer if someone planned it. Then, pointing at the video screen movie of my sewer, he almost giggled: “See how the camera keeps hitting those bumps—your clay tile sewer line is collapsing! Your sewer is collapsing!”

Good to know it is clay tile: in the early 1950’s the city was experimenting with a cardboard-like application for sewer lines....no doubt a major technological advance of the times. However, the collapsing diagnosis is not good news. So, plumber-dude, having frightened Lazy Gnome, offered to return the following day with his buddy, sewer-dude, to do another video and prepare an estimate. Reluctant but worried, Lazy Gnome agreed.

Well, there was evidence that he was at the house, but Lazy Gnome did not hear back from plumber-dude or his company (other than the invoice) or from his sewer buddy. Ever.

Given that plumber-dude had bemoaned the recession and the number of staff his company had to lay off (except the bad apples), and the fact that Lazy Gnome had never had any problem with the sewer, suspicions grew.

Having previously experienced plumbers claiming a sewer needed replacing at a different house (that particular company’s problem was really its complete inability to install a functional toilet), Lazy Gnome had other resources. The City of Edmonton will scope your sewer, for free, any day of the week. It is a great service; Lazy Gnome recommends it if for nothing other than their unbiased verification. (Plus, if the property had had previous problems reported to the City, they will tell you.)

So, two nice City employees came by one lovely Sunday afternoon in September. Their scope and subsequent analysis was this: no, the sewer is NOT collapsing; but yes, there are roots in the sewer which require cleaning out—SOON. But, again, the City will also do that for you, at a fixed cost, any day of the week.

However, of course, more plumbing work was required before the roots could be cleaned out...more in Sewer Saga Part 2

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.~~Confucius