'Cap The Cleanout' Program

What is a Cleanout?

Sewer cleanouts and their caps play a vital role in the health of your home and our city's sewer system. Many people don't know what a sewer cleanout is if they have one, or why they need one. Sewer cleanouts are typically made of plastic piping and are usually located within three to five feet of a business or home. The cleanout performs an important function, working as the access point to your sewer system. Access is important for sewer line cleaning, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Cleanouts typically have a removable cap to make accessing the sewer line easier.

 Benefits of Cleanout Caps:

  • Prevent Rainwater from entering the Sewer System – During rain events, an uncapped cleanout could cause stormwater to get into the system and unnecessarily be treated. This excess inflow puts stress on our wastewater treatment plant and collection system and drives up operating and treatment costs.
  • Keep debris out of the sewer lines – debris can cause blockages and lead to backups in the home or city sewer lines.
  • Prevent small animals and rodents – from entering the sewer system
  • Helps eliminate sewer odors around your home or business.  

The city is working to identify all sources of inflow in our sewer system to help solve this problem. Working together, we can save valuable resources, and provide needed protection to the city’s collection system.   

How to cap your Cleanout

Below is a do it yourself guide to adding or replacing a cleanout cap.

  1. Determine the type of cap needed, PVC or Brass.
  2. Remove damaged cap (if needed)
  3. Screw cap on clockwise then tighten using pliers, pipe wrench, or channel locks.

If you have any questions about your sewer cleanout, you can call the City of Valdosta Utilities Department at 229-259-3592.

APPLICABLE CITY ORDINANCES

  1. City of Valdosta ordinances applicable to City utilities and the illegal removal of cleanout caps and piping of stormwater can be found in Chapters 98 and 70 at the following link: https://library.municode.com/ga/valdosta/codes/code_of_ordinances
  2.  (§ 98-147) Damaging, destroying equipment.
  3. (§ 98-241) Unauthorized Connections.
  4. (§ 98-248) Certain connections prohibited.
  5. (§ 98-249) Compliance with applicable rules.
  6. (§ 98-271) Prohibited discharges to sanitary sewers generally.
  7. (§ 70-9) Utility apparatus; diversion of services.
  8. (§ 70-10) Vandalism.