Emergency Procedures
If you are experiencing a problem or emergency related to your sanitary sewer, contact SESD’s Engineer, Kennedy Jenks, at 303-985-3636, or SESD’s maintenance contractor, DES Pipeline, at 303-503-6697.
When you call, we will discuss the situation with you to determine the best course of action. If you are having intermittent backups or sluggish flow, then the problem is more likely in your sanitary sewer line and not SESD’s main sanitary sewer line. We will recommend you contact a plumbing contractor to clean and scope your sanitary sewer line.
If you are experiencing a continued backup with sewage into your home, then there may be an issue with SESD’s mainline. In this case, SESD’s maintenance contractor, DES Pipeline or the city of Englewood, will respond immediately and investigate the issue. If the sewage overflow is determined to be caused by an issue in SESD’s main line, then SESD will send a clean-up contractor who will dry out and sanitize your home where the spill has occurred. SESD does NOT pay for personal loss, re-construction of any sort or replacement of flooring.
Homeowner Responsibility
The sanitary sewer line from your home or building, up to and including the tap connection into SESD’s system, is your responsibility. You must make sure your sanitary sewer line is maintained so that you do not experience a sewer backup into your home or business.
Common Sanitary Sewer Issues
Sewer smells from a floor drain are most commonly caused by a dry “P-Trap.” Try pouring at least a gallon of water into the drain.
“Gurgling” and “Bubbling”. SESD’s maintenance contractor and the city of Englewood uses a high-pressure jet cleaning machine. When they are jet cleaning SESD’s main sanitary sewer lines you may hear gurgling or see water bubble in the toilet bowl. In rare cases, water may splash out of a toilet bowl. Jet cleaning does not damage your sanitary sewer line. We do recommend that you make it a habit to keep toilet lids down so that water is less likely to escape the toilet bowl.
Root intrusion caused by nearby trees and shrubs. Roots can maneuver their way into the sanitary sewer at pipe joints, cracks, or holes. The roots can cause a lot of damage to a sanitary sewer line and cause backups. A professional plumber can verify the condition of your sanitary sewer line and remove the roots if necessary.
Flushing Wipes or Heavy Paper Debris. Wet “flushable” wipes are marketed as being decomposable. While this may be true to some extent, these products are not likely to decompose in the seconds it travels in your sanitary sewer line or SESD’s mainline. Wipes can easily get caught up in roots or accumulate in areas of the sanitary sewer line where there is low flow and cause blockages. It is recommended not flush these products and to dispose of them in the garbage.
Flyers and Information
The Flyers are available below as printable PDF documents. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required for PDF documents. 
Best Management Practices
Do:
- Do throw all food waste in garbage. Limit the use of a garbage disposal if you have any concern about backups in your sanitary sewer line.
- Do use paper towel to soak up fats, oils, and grease, and toss paper towel in the garbage.
- Do install strainers in sink drains to collect food debris, hair, or other material before it can enter the drain. Clean strainer and toss debris in garbage.
Don’t:
- Don’t put fats, oils, grease (FOG) or food debris in the drains. Collect with a paper towel or drain strainer and toss in garbage.
- Don’t pour bleach directly in the drain. Bleach dewaters grease and can make it hard as concrete.
- Don’t use chemicals improperly. Follow directions on label, for your safety and the environments.
- Don’t flush diapers, sanitary napkins, medical supplies, wet “flushable” wipes*, or paper towels.
Useful Links
Arapahoe County
www.co.arapahoe.co.us
City of Centennial
www.centennialco.gov
City of Englewood
https://englewoodco.gov
City of Greenwood Village
www.greenwoodvillage.com
City of Littleton
www.littletongov.org
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
www.colorado.gov/DOLA
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
www.cdphe.state.co.us
Colorado Special Districts Association
www.sdaco.org
Denver Water
www.denverwater.org
South Platte Water Renewal Partners Wastewater Treatment Plant
https://spwaterrenewalpartners.org/
South Metro Fire Rescue
www.southmetro.org
South Suburban Parks and Recreation
www.ssprd.org
Southgate Water and Sanitation Districts
www.southgatedistricts.org
Tri-County Health Department
www.tchd.org
Urban Drainage and Flood Control
www.udfcd.org
Willows Water District
www.willowswater.org