To Flush or Not To Flush

May 14, 2020

We would like to remind all of our customers that flushing anything other than toilet paper into the sanitary sewer system could pose problems in the sewer mains, lift stations and the wastewater treatment plant. In addition, individual households and businesses may experience sewer back ups due to blockages cased by flushing inappropriate materials. Materials that not appropriate to flush include but are not limited to: paper towels, napkins, “flushable wipes or towels”, any type of cloth material or feminine hygiene products. These types of materials should be disposed of in the trash not in the toilet.

Please follow these guidelines. Repairs to equipment and clearing of blockages is expensive and time consuming and my pose health issues if a backup of sewage occurs.

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Dealing with Sanitary Sewer Back-ups

August 22, 2017

CONTACT US FIRST

If you have a back-up in your sanitary sewer system, contact the Nebraska City Utilities by calling 873-3353.  This number is staffed 24 hours per day for emergencies.

A crew will respond to check the City’s main sewer lines.  If a line is found blocked, the crew will purge the line to get it open.  If your back-up does not recede after the City line is found to be open or after it is purged, you should call a professional plumber to have your home’s service line cleared.  The City cannot recommend plumbers for this service, but many can be found in the local telephone directory yellow pages.

After City crews have inspected the main sewer lines, we will inform the customer reporting the back-up as to our findings.  Please be sure to leave an accurate address and telephone number when reporting a back up.

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Sewer Meets Natural Gas Cross Bores

August 8, 2017

Be Safe! Always assume that obstructions involve a cross bore.

A cross bore is defined as the intersection of an existing underground utility or underground structure by a second utility installed using trenchless technology. This results in an intersection of the utilities, compromising the integrity of either or both utility or underground structure.

In rare cases, our gas pipeline may cross through a sewer pipe. If a plumber unknowingly strikes a gas line while cutting through a sewer blockage, natural gas could enter the sewer system, creating a dangerous situation. For this reason, it is extremely important to call 811 before you begin any digging project to have all utility lines clearly marked.

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Utility Flags & Markings

April 30, 2018

You have probably noticed small flags of various colors placed in the grass around town, in your yard or in your neighborhood? Sometimes the grass or ground is also marked with paint.  So what does this mean?

It means someone is planning to do some digging in the area and they have called 811 to check the area for underground utilities such as water, sewer, gas, phone, electricity, etc… Then the area is marked with a flag or paint to indicate what utility is underground.  If someone digs up a line, it could be detrimental, therefore it is required you call 811 before you dig.

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