The most common causes for a sewer backup include:

• a sag in the line or low lying areas causing grease, solids and certain types of detergents to harden or build up
• broken or shifted pipes
• tree roots entering into the line (a major factor in blockages everywhere)
• ground water seeping into the pipe at joints which leaves behind minerals that build up over time

Call Strathcona County Utilities' emergency response line at 780-467-7785. You will be connected to either our customer service representative or answering service. An operator will be notified of your request and contact you within one hour for more details prior to responding.

There may be a charge for the service call if the cause of the sewer backup is strictly related to a private property issue with no contributing factors on public property.

The responding operator will insert a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera down the service line to see what is causing the sewer problem. The camera is inserted into the access point inside the house, usually below the main bathroom or the front floor cleanout.

Access into the house is required because usually the camera cannot enter the service line from a manhole.

Once the problem has been identified, County staff will work with you to help reduce the possibility of future sewer backups.

You will be automatically be placed on the preventative maintenance program (unless the cause is strictly a problem on private property). This program may help reduce future backups.

Call us at 780-467-7785 if you receive a letter from the County requesting you to make an appointment for the preventative maintenance program.

Cutting down a tree may not always help as roots can continue to grown for a period after the tree is cut. Furthermore, roots travel deep, so it can be difficult to determine which tree is causing the problem.

If you would like a tree located on public property to be removed, Strathcona County policies state that you put your request in writing and send it to:

Strathcona County Utilities
2001 Sherwood Drive
Sherwood Park, AB T8A 3W7
Attention: Supervisor, Construction & Customer Service

Your request will then be forwarded to the County Horticulture/Arboriculture Foreman for review on a site-by-site basis.

• Do not flush large or absorbent items (such as feminine hygiene products, paper towels, baby wipes and flushable wipes) down the toilet.
• Do not use a garburator for food scraps as the organic material can build up in the pipe and cause a blockage. Compost or put your organics into your green cart.
• Do not pour grease, oils and fat down your drain as it can clog your pipes. Instead, let them cool and then place them in your organics cart.

Yes. Garburators increase the amount of materials sent to landfill and increase wastewater costs.

When you dispose of kitchen scraps using a garburator, they end at the wastewater treatment plant where they are removed by screens and sent to the landfill. The biodegradable benefits of organic materials are lost at this point and the material cannot be composted.

Garburators also cause organic material to collect in the pipes over time and can cause sewer backups.

Garburators also use extra water, so you are paying for the extra water you use to flush organic material down the sink and for the extra waste water that is leaving your home.

Strathcona County can provide recommendations and cost options for corrective/repair procedures to the service line. 

The service line may be replaced or a liner may be put inside the line.

Strathcona County coordinates these repair activities for both the private and public property portions of the service line. The County acts as an inspector to ensure the work done by the contractor is effective and timely.

Under current policy, Strathcona County may contribute half (to a maximum of $750) towards the homeowner's costs if there are trees present on County property that may be contributing to the problem.

To receive a quote for this program, write to:

Quotation Request
c/o Strathcona County Utilities
2001 Sherwood Drive
Sherwood Park, AB T8A 3W7
Attention: Supervisor, Construction & Customer Service

County staff will follow up by assessing your property and providing a written quotation that outlines the work to be completed and options for rehabilitation (if possible) and the costs. 

To proceed, please contact the Utilities department.

Wastewater lagoons are typically used in small communities such as Ardrossan, Josephburg and others in Strathcona County because they are the most economical and efficient for smaller population centres.

A healthy lagoon has clear blue-, brown- or green tinged water and a faint earthy odour. Strong smells may develop throughout the year due to increased demands on the system during seasonal changes.

Because lagoons require time to break down organic materials through natural processes, strong odours take time to reduce. While a strong smell may be unpleasant it does not pose a health risk.

In colder climates like ours, low temperatures and ice will reduce the efficiency of the lagoon during winter months. This can result in odours in the early spring and fall as the system adjusts to the new weather conditions.