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1. Where can I find a list of the City of Framingham's licensed drainlayers?

The Department of Public Works maintains a list of all businesses that carry a drainlayer's license in the City of Framingham. Click the link for a short version of the list.

Drainlayer's List - Short

2. What do I do if I see sewage in my house, yard, or street?

You should call the Wastewater Department immediately to report any visible signs of sewerage anywhere, or any signs of an impending clog (i.e. drains bubbling, drain gurgling sounds, or bad sewer odors.

3. Who is responsible for my sewer service?

The property owner is responsible for the entire length of their sewer service from their house to the sewer main. Any manholes that are along this private service are considered part of that private way and must be maintained by the property owner as well. If you are in need of a drain cleaning you can look under Plumbing – Drain & Waste Line Cleaning for some possible providers of this service. If you are in need of a sewer repair/replacement, you can click on the link to see our list of Licensed Drainlayer’s.
Licensed Drainlayer's List

4. How do I know if I have a sewer blockage?

Sewer blockages can occur in either the private sewer service or the Town sewer main. The first sign of a blockage generally shows up in the lowest drains within the structure (i.e. basement, or if slab, first floor). At the first sign of a problem, you should call the Wastewater Department at 508-532-6060. We can check the sewer main to rule out any problems there. If the sewer main looks fine, the technician will let you know it is a private incident and instruct you to call a drain cleaning service.

5. How can I protect myself from sewer blockages?

To avoid having blockages in your own private service and interior plumbing, you should make sure that you use the toilets and drains for correct methods of disposal. Here are some common mistakes made with drain usage:

- Only use paper products in your toilet that are made safe for flushing, like toilet papers, and tissues. Although flushable applicators are a product available, they are still responsible for many cases of toilet clogs. Avoid using the toilet as a trash can.

- Avoid pouring grease, cooking or otherwise, down your drains, as this is the main cause of drain clogging. If grease accidentally gets in your drains you should run hot water for a few minutes to better flush it through the lines. This is not a guaranteed solution however which is why an alternative manner of grease disposal is to allow the grease to cool in the pan and then use paper towels to scoop it into the waste basket.

- Hair is a very common way for internal plumbing, and private sewer services to become clogged. Making sure you have a drain cover over your drains, and not just an open hole is important in avoiding this. Regularly cleaning the hair on your drains is very helpful.

Blockages in the main can affect you in fixtures you may have below the sewer grade level, it is recommended that you have a check valve installed on your property. The device keeps the sewage from backing up into any fixtures below the level of the main. Prevention is a great way to deal with a main back-up because you never know when one can occur.

6. What is OK to flush down my toilet?

The best thing to do is to only flush toilet paper down your toilet. Even some products that promote themselves as flushable may be so, but are not 100% safe, and can cause blockages.

7. What is NOT ok to put in the sewer system?

It is illegal to pour any hazardous chemicals into the sewer system. Proper disposal of such chemicals should be dealt with according the laws of the Sanitation Division. It is not illegal for residents, but not recommended that you flush greases down your drains as this can cause blockages in your private sewer system and in the sewer main. Commercial properties in the food industry have to install grease traps in order to prevent grease problems in the main.

8. Can I sump pump flood water into the sewer?

No, it is not permitted to hook any private drainage into the sewer system as this can cause an overload in the mains, resulting in sewage backing up into all properties on the overloaded system. This same logic applies to opening manholes up to drain flooded areas.

9. What do I do if a Town manhole cover is making noise or visibly damaged?

Please report any instance of this to the Sewer Department so that we can schedule personnel to attend to these matters. There are many different metal fixtures in the road so it can be confusing to identify which is a sewer manhole, and which is a water gate valve cover, etc. Just guess the best you can and if you call the wrong cover in, any Public Works personnel should be able to forward the call or information to the right department. Although not always the case, here are a few descriptions of common road fixtures to help you with identifying.
- Sewer manhole cover – These are generally solid round covers, approximately 26” in diameter.
- Water gate valve cover – These are smaller solid round or square covers, generally 4”-10” in diameter.
- Catch basins – These are the open grated covers that allow for drainage, seen mostly in the streets and along sidewalks. The Town Highway Department is responsible for maintaining these.

10. Am I allowed to open a manhole cover myself?

No, it is not permitted for anyone but Town personnel to lift or attend to a manhole cover for any reason, especially for purposes of drainage. Open manholes left unattended could present a severe danger to the public.