I'm not on a municiple sewer system so this is slightly off topic but it still relates to sewage. (Pls note: I live on the side of a steep hill so some of these solutions may not apply to everyone.

Two years ago I got thinking about wastewater when my cellar flooded two weeks before Christmas. "Get a sump pump," everyone said.
I did not want an electrically powered drain system. I had an old stone "French drain" that has previously kept the cellar dry(ish) but five people and an automatic washer must have overcome it's drainage abilty. After trying to find the outflow with a pick and shovel in the pouring rain, I hired a backhoe. To make a long story short, we now have a cellar drain and a kitchen drain teed together and freely draining to the outside.

Still thinking about drainage, I figured I had better replace the old steel septic tank. When the SHTF, if everyone shows up who said they were, we were going to have quite a house full. So in went a new concrete septic tank. Then I thought, "What if?" What if the field bed plugged in the winter? What if the in-flow pipe plugged in the winter? ❓

I went to work and dug into the end of the field bed. I left the end exposed so that if I had a problem in the winter, I could take the cap off (or break it with a hammer) and snake it. For access the inlet pipe, I dug down to the top of the tank and exposed the access plug above the inlet. I then purchased an 18" high plastic "man hole" and cover. Now if I have a problem, winter or summer, I just pull off the cover, reach down and pull out the plug. I can then clear the inlet or pump the tank. No pounding through frozen ground. 😀

Does anybody have a backwater valve installed in their home? Sounds like an inexpensive solution to prevent sewage backups.

If you back up and read the posts you'll see that I got one installed and you can find out how fun that escapade was.

Heliopilot - what do you mean... the city or town puts in shutoffs, but keep for themselves the magic tool to make them work? Am I understanding you correct? In any event, I have an older house so there's probably no shutoff.

Euh? I didn't post anything on this thread up until now... You must have been thinking about me while writing this, thoughtful! 😀 that said, not sure if I like to be associated with a sewer thread 😕 Lol

I said "heliopilot, NOT helicopilot", so don't let it go to your head! Now go back to the strawberry thread and don't return here please. This thread is for sewage enthusiasts only!

Sounds like you had fun Martha. I think I might install one here. Mine will be a much easier install because my pipes run through my crawl space under the house and can be reached easily.

I'm jealous.

By the way, you should check out the website of the inventor, it is so crucial to install it correctly. Mainline fullport backwater valve manufactured in Edmonton

https://www.google.ca/?gws_rd=cr