Utilities

Help us keep the sanitary sewer treatment process running correctly:

Do…

• Use a strainer over the drain in your sink, tub, and shower, and empty it into the garbage, not the toilet.
• Place food scraps in the compost or garbage, scrape dishes into the garbage, not the sink.
• Use biodegradable products for cleaning and doing laundry.
• Use the manufacturer's recommended amount of detergent for cleaning (the average household uses three times more than recommended). Cutting back also saves money!
• Place a garbage can in the bathroom to dispose of solid wastes such as disposable diapers, condoms, paper towel, and personal hygiene products.
• Take pharmaceutical products to a pharmacy to be properly disposed of.
• Pour liquid fats, oils, and grease into a jar or container with a lid to cool, and then throw it in the garbage. Wipe down greasy pots and pans with a paper towel, prior to washing them, in the sink or dishwasher.
• Use the "3 R's"… Reduce, Re-use, and Recycle.

Don't…

• Use the toilet as a garbage can.
• Pour fats, oil, or grease down the drain as they will solidify in the cold pipe.
• Pour sour milk down the drain (One litre of 3% milk has enough fat in it to cover the surface of an Olympic-sized swimming pool). Dispose of it in your garbage.
• Wash food scraps, tea leaves, coffee grounds, or eggshells down the sink.
• Flush razor blades, condoms, pharmaceutical products, cigarette butts, nail polish remover, toilet rolls, or other non-biodegradable products down the toilet.
• Pour chemicals, paint, motor oil, pesticides, or any other harmful products down the drain. Check recycling depots for disposal information. Note: Improper disposal may result in fines.
• Flush out a commercial grease interceptor with hot water to clean it or wash it in the dishwasher. Remove all grease and dispose of it appropriately.
• Use excessive detergent, as it contains large amounts of oil, grease, and fat. It makes cleaning and treating waste water difficult and costly. This will result in less phosphate entering the water table, and will prevent excess algae growth in the water.

The sanitary cleanout is the exterior access point of the service connection to a structure. It is accessed for the removal of obstructions or for inspection with a camera.

Property owners are responsible for maintaining the cleanout, and ensuring easy access for City staff, plumbers, or licensed technicians.

Do not bury or pave over your cleanout. Any damage incurred in locating the cleanout is the property owner's responsibility.

If your cleanout needs to be raised or lowered, or if the cap is missing or damaged, please contact the City immediately. Any damage to the cleanout from negligence will be repaired by City staff at the cost of the property owner.

All cleanouts located in driveways are required to be in a valve box supplied by the City, and are installed by the property owner or contractor. If a cleanout is not level with the driveway, contact the City. The City provides staff to raise and lower utilities, like water stand pipes and sewer cleanouts. This service is provided by request, and is completed in a timely manner.

The City will be responsible for any defects identified within the service connection. Any repairs required on the building's sewer side are the responsibility of the property owner. View a drawing showing division of responsibilities.

Reimbursement will be provided up to a maximum of $185.00 for CCTV work, $30.00 for a service locate, and $20.00 dollars for a DVD (plus tax), if the defect is within the service connection. If there are issues or problems on both sides, then you may receive a partial reimbursement. This refund shall only be approved once in a three-year period.

A DVD of the CCTV inspection must be dropped off at Public Works office located at 3990-18th Avenue, and will become the property of the City. If the CCTV inspection video does not meet City standards it will be returned without reimbursement.

Blockages in sanitary sewer mains can cause sewage to backup into a residence. They can be caused by vegetation roots growing into the line and/or by the improper disposal of items such as grease, wipes, diapers, washing machine lint, and other items flushed down the toilet. In the event of a sanitary blockage, call the City of Prince George immediately at: 250-561-7600 (24 hours a day/365 days a year).

For more detailed information on what to do in the event of a suspected blockage please refer to the Residential Sanitary Sewer Backup Procedure.

The City will help you identify whether the blockage is in the City's sanitary sewer main or service line, or is in a building sewer:

1. If the blockage is in the City's sanitary sewer main, the City will clear it.
2. If the blockage is not in the City's sanitary sewer main, the property owner is responsible for clearing any blockages within the sanitary service connection or the building sewer. In this situation, contact a plumber or licensed technician.

If you have homeowner's or other property insurance, notify your agent to see if your claim is covered.

Document the actions you take (calls, contacts, costs) and take photos of the damage.

If you require assistance call the City at 250-561-7600.

Find out how to start a claim.

Note: The City will not provide reimbursement if the City has not been notified of the blocked sewer at the time of the incident.

The City is not presumed to be responsible for the consequences of a blocked sanitary sewer line simply because the blockage is on City side. The City is protected by the Local Government Act.

Failure to act in a timely manner may increase damage to your property and to neighbouring properties.

For more information read the Sanitary Sewer Backup Procedure Fact Sheet responsibilities.

Ask your plumber or licensed technician these questions and document the answers:

•Was a snake, root cutter, or another method used to clear the blockage?

•If a root cutter was used, what size was it? Note: This is only a temporary solution

•How many times did the plumber work the line with the snake or root cutter? (It usually takes several passes to ensure complete removal of a blockage)

•What was the total distance of root cut or snaked? (This will identify if the entire line was cleared)

•Where was the blockage located?

•Did the plumber suggest you do a CCTV inspection? (This is a costly expense but is recommended for recurring sewer backups or problems)

View the Industrial Commercial and Institutional Sanitary Maintenance Procedure the Sanitary Sewer Backup Fact Sheet or the Sanitary Sewer Backup Procedure for more information.

The city's water comes from a series of water wells within the city, and along the Nechako River:

• Six municipal wells draw 18 billion litres of water each year from underground aquifers.
• Using underground aquifers ensures that residents are protected against bacteria and other pollutants found in surface sources such as lakes or rivers.
• Raw water is chlorinated according to guidelines set by the Northern Health Authority. The amount of chlorine is monitored daily to maintain system-wide balance, and to ensure the highest safety levels for all residents.
• Certified City operators routinely sample the water supply for quality and safety, using accredited laboratories.
• Treated water is pumped to and stored in 15 service reservoirs.
• Water is supplied to homes from water supply well pumps or from one of the reservoirs.

City operators monitor water quality on a continuous basis through manual sampling and on site automatic instrumentation.

Prince George's tap water is fresh as it is continually extracted from the environment and consumed. Bottled water can be weeks, even months old, depending on the source. The safety of our water is equal or better than bottled water, and no additional treatment is required. 

Water conservation is critical when the City experiences severe water shortages. Average water consumption demands can double during the summer months. Over one-third of this amount is due to lawn sprinkling. This puts extra strain on infrastructure and increases operational costs.

The benefits of water conservation are both economic and environmental, and include:

• alleviating water supply constraints
• deferring infrastructure replacement costs
• reducing operational costs
• minimizing the environmental impact of extracting and releasing treated water

View the Water Conservation Plan to learn more about water conservation planning in Prince George.

To conserve water, The City of Prince George implemented the Water Use Restrictions Bylaw (Bylaw 7479,2003). The bylaw is in effect 365 days a year.

The City of Prince George maintains a water quality testing program to ensure the water provided to residents is among the best in the province.

Water Pressure Boundaries Map

Click on the area in the map below to read the water quality report specific to that area.

• Water Quality Reports / Bi-annual Water Sampling Reports

View the 2014 City of Prince George Water Service Network Plan, and Appendices .

In extremely cold weather water pipes may freeze and can rupture. Pipes are most susceptible when located:

• in an outside wall
• under a sink on an outside wall
• in an unheated crawlspace

Prevent pipes from freezing:

• Plowing, shovel and store snow to insulate utilities on your property
• Keep all rooms heated to 5°c where water lines enter buildings, or wrap lines with heat tape
• Check heat tape to ensure they are plugged in and operational
• Insulate all water lines that run along exterior walls, or that are located in garages and crawlspaces