Sewer Blockage

1. If you suspect that your sewer is blocked and your toilet is not flushing properly, use a plunger to see if you can free the blockage from the toilet.
2. If that does not work, do a quick assessment of your home by inspecting any sinks or toilets that are not draining properly.
3. If you suspect a sewer blockage after the quick assessment, stop using any water (flushing toilets, running taps, doing laundry etc.). Doing so may cause sewer back-up to flow into your home.
4. If you suspect you have a sewer back-up, please contact the Town of Newmarket at 905-895-5193. For after hours contact 905-895-5193 extension 3. You will need to provide all your information to the customer service agent who will, in turn, contact the Town's preferred contractor to attend your property.
   • Please note that before any work can be performed, a Sewer Safety Inspection must be done. A Sewer Safety Inspection will prevent the risk of a gas leak and/or explosion by making sure underground gas lines are not intersecting the sewer pipes outside your home.
   • The homeowner is required to call Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 for a Sewer Safety Inspection. The Sewer Safety Inspection is provided at no cost to the homeowner. Once you have received clearance from Ontario One Call, you can contact your contractor to clear any sewer blockages.
5. If you or your contractor suspect that the sewer blockage originated from Town property, you or the contractor is required to provide evidence such as CCTV footage, location of the sewer blockage and type of blockage and to the Town of Newmarket to launch an investigation. After the investigation, the Town will notify you of its outcome and decision. If the origin of the sewer blockage is proven to have been caused by the Town, you will be compensated for all costs incurred for clearing the sewer blockage. For more information on this process, please call our Municipal Office at 905-895-5193.

• Butter or margarine
• Shortening 
• Lard
• Salad dressing
• Cooking oils (includes deep-frying oils) 
• Sauces and gravies
• Meat fats
• Sour milk and cream
• Marinades
• Sandwich spreads 

• Single-use 'flushable' wipes, including baby wipes, make-up wipes​
• Diapers
• Feminine products
• Cat litter
• Paper towels
• Bandages
• Cotton swabs
• Gauze 
• Q-tips
• Medication 

Sewer laterals are buried pipes that move sewage and waste from your home to the Town of Newmarket’s sewage collection pipe network.

Sewer laterals that are leaving your home are the responsibility of the homeowner. Sewer laterals that are on Town property are the responsibility of the Town of Newmarket. If you find that your sewer lateral is blocked, it is your responsibility as the homeowner to undertake corrective measures to unblock the sewer lateral.

No, the Town of Newmarket does not provide sewer blockage services on private property. You can call the Town’s pre-selected contractor, J & S Services or call your own private contractor, at your own risk. All cost incurred for this service is the responsibility of the homeowner, unless proven that the blockage was caused on Town property. Please note that the Town will only reimburse you if the pre-selected contractor was used in the sewer clearing services.

The Town is responsible for the following on sewer laterals on Town property:

• Removal of tree roots
• Chemical treatments to prevent root infiltration
• Repair, rehabilitation or replacement of sewer laterals
• Replacement of sewer laterals as party of any Town of Newmarket road re-construction and sewer main line replacement program

J & S Services was selected through a procurement bid and will be the Town’s pre-selected contractor that we provide to homeowners/residents for sewer blockage clearing services.

J & S Services
905-954-1513

Prices vary due to the type of blockage and how much of the sewer pipe is blocked. You can call the Town’s pre-selected contractor for a quote before proceeding with the service.

Sewers can get blocked by:

• Pouring fats, oils and grease down the drains (sink) after cooking
• Flushing items down the toilet such as baby wipes, diapers, sanitary products and more
• Tree roots growing into the pipes
• Structural issues such as breaks, cracks and collapse of the sewer laterals

Do not pour fats, greases and oils down the drain and do not flush items other than toilet paper in the toilet.