I had a plumber in the house today fixing a leaky faucet. I asked him about sewage backing up into the house. He said that due to my proximity to the main sewer line out of town, and the fact that the *vast* majority of the sewage is on a gravity feed anyway, I had little to worry about. (BTW, he is advising his customers to store water, so he's no Pollyanna)

I forgot to ask him a question, though. Assuming the utilities fail, if I haul water from my well to the toilets, can I continue to flush without fear of it backing up?

Bob

-- Bob (bob@bob.com), December 23, 1999

Answers

I'm amazed at the ignoance of most poeple about how things work. Yes it is true that most sewers flow by means of gravity( its true, shit does run down hill). What your "plumber" fails to grasp is the fact that sewage treatment plants require electricty, computers and many imbeds to process sewage effluent (shit and other bodily fluids for those of you in rio lindo) If you fill a need to protect you house from back flow you must install a 4 inch gate valve at your main sewer line. You should also note that when the valve is closed you should refrain from flushing your toilet as this will result in the very problem your were attemping to prevent..

-- dja (Just a construction guy@sticks and stones.com), December 23, 1999.

You know what they say, sh*t flows down hill. If there are no utilities and the pump generators run out of fuel, all that sewage is going SOMEWHERE. It may be overflowing into people's basements just down the hill from you or backing up by the pumping station, all over the ground. In any case, not doing good.

-- Gary S. (garys_2k@yahoo.com), December 23, 1999.

Why the gate valve? I'm just stuffing a rag in the line. There isn't a pressure head in the sewer main.

-- jim (ginsenger@hotmail.com), December 23, 1999.