Sewers

Sewer backup claims comprise a significant portion of liability costs for cities and the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT).

In order to better understand how to prevent sewer claims, LMCIT conducted an analysis of sewer backup claims.

The most common reason for sewer backups was an obstruction in the sewer line. City liability often stemmed from maintenance and inspection issues. In addition, claims related to costly lift station design and construction problems also are costly.

Study finds most common cause of sewer backup is obstruction in line

But even more surprising, perhaps, were the causes that did not rise to the top of the list: Weather related incidents like extraordinary rainfall or lift station failure due to weather events were not a major cause of sewer backups.

While aging infrastructure is an ongoing concern for cities throughout the state, physical condition of the sewer line was not quite as notable a cause of sewer backups as anticipated.

Read more about Sewer Study Findings
Read more about Sewer Toolkit: A Guide for Sanitary Sewer Maintenance Policies and Procedures