If you have a sewer blockage, it can have several causes. For example, a clogged main sewer, a clogged house connection or a tree root in the sewer.

The first question then is whether you rent the property or own it.

What should you do?

Are you a tenant of the property?

Contact the landlord. They have their own rules on who is responsible for the blockage.

Do you own the property?

Always call municipality first at 14 079 (available 24/7, including weekends) before fixing (or having fixed) the problem yourself. The municipality first wants to determine where responsibility lies for the blockage. Costs incurred cannot be reclaimed from the municipality.

The owner/occupant is responsible for blockages such as grease, cleaning wipes and the like in the house up to and including the main sewer. This includes the toilet, sink, kitchen and so on. Each house connection has a unblocker that is usually located at or near the property line (between your home and public area). On the map"Sewer Management Area' you can see how the sewer runs in your neighborhood.

Up to the unblocker (T-piece with screw cap in the pipe), the owner must take care of unblocking himself. If the blockage is after this, the municipality will take care of the unblocking. If the blockage in the house connection is after the unblocker then the municipality will charge the cost of unblocking. 

Do not throw grease, cleaning wipes, cat litter and so on down the toilet! This causes a lot of damage and blockages to house connections and the main sewer. If the blockage turns out to be your own fault, you will have to pay the cost of unblocking it yourself. 

Damage from tree roots within the property line?

As an owner, you may remove tree roots in your (front) yard. You may not damage the tree in such a way that it is no longer safe. The municipality may then hold you responsible for the consequences. To avoid this, we recommend that you hire a professional company to remove the tree roots.

Do you still want to remove tree roots yourself and is it a municipality tree? Then contact the neighborhood manager to check out the damage together.

Damage from tree roots beyond the property line?

Contact the municipality. To do so, use the contact form or call 14 079.