Misconnected Sewer Lines

Improper connections between sanitary sewer pipes and stormwater pipes are sometimes made when a homeowner or a professional plumber hooks a sewage pipe into a stormwater main pipe under the street. This is usually done accidentally, but still requires correction to prevent raw sewage from flowing to the nearest stream or lake. The NJDEP’s recently enacted Municipal Stormwater Rules require that, beginning in 2005, municipalities map all their stormwater outfall pipes, identify any sewage problems with the outfalls, and track the source of the sewage, including any pipe misconnections (called “illicit connections”). Corrections of misconnections will be fully or partially at the homeowner's expense.

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