Inflow & Infiltration Inspections Program

To comply with MCES directives regarding I/I, the City inspects homes and businesses in Orono to determine if roof drains, foundation drains, sump pumps, and other clear water sources are connected to the sanitary sewer system. The goal of this program is to reduce excessive flows that enter the sanitary sewer system so the City, and its utility customers, won't have to pay MCES surcharges.

Who is subject to an inspection?  

Those properties connected to the Municipal Sanitary Sewer who do not have a valid certificate of I&I Compliance when one of the following situations occurs:

  • Prior to Sale:   All properties in Orono must be inspected and required to be in compliance before they can be sold. 
  • With Permits: Property owners who apply for sewer connection permits (for an existing line) will also be subject to an inspection

Contact Us

  1. Kellie Hoen

    Public Works and Parks Administrative Assistant
    Email Kellie Hoen
    More Information

Compliance

For properties that pass inspection, the City issues a Certificate of I/I Compliance to the property owner and keeps a copy on file at City Hall. The Certificate is valid for 10 years.  Properties that don’t pass inspection are issued a correction notice delineating the problems. Repairs should be completed within 90 days of receipt of the correction notice. If repairs are not completed a monthly surcharge will be applied to the utility bill until the property is in compliance.  

I/I Problem Spots

Sanitary Service Line. The inspection involves televising the sanitary sewer service out to the City sewer main (to identify cracks and leaks) and checking the sump pump discharge system and roof drains and leaders (to identify improper connections to the sanitary sewer system).

Down spouts. Roof drains and leaders direct storm water from roof gutters to the ground through pipes and downspouts. Roof drains should not be connected to the sanitary sewer but should discharge to the ground outside of a building. If your roof drains are connected to the sanitary sewer, disconnect them, plug any open connections to the sanitary sewer using a non-shrink permanent material, and redirect the roof drains onto the ground outside the building

Foundation Drains.  Foundation drains are underground pipes that collect storm water from around the base of a building and into a sump basket, where it is then pumped outside of the building. Foundation drains should not be connected to the sanitary sewer.

Sump Pumps.  Sump pumps are designed to capture surface or ground water that enters basements or crawl spaces and pump it away from the house. The basic sump system includes drain tile, a sump pit, a sump pump, a float or switch, and a drain line. The sump pit extends below the slab and collects surface water that enters the basement/crawl space or groundwater that rises to the slab. Sump pumps should not be connected to the sanitary sewer. Sump pumps should drain into the City’s storm sewer system through one of two methods: a direct connection (a pipe from the house to the main storm sewer line), if available, or directly onto the ground (preferably 20 feet from the house and not into a neighbor’s yard