The Forgotten Asset - Addressing Problematic Wastewater Lateral Connections in Baltimore, Maryland

The City of Baltimore, Maryland (the City) receives more than 450 customer complaints each month related to a basement sewage backup due to a blockage or choke in the sanitary sewer lateral connection (lateral). Historically, the City addressed lateral blockages in a reactive manner through emergency maintenance response, and routine assessment or repair of laterals was not performed. Faced with the growing number of problematic laterals, the City developed the Sewer Lateral Inspection and Renewal Program (the Lateral Program). The Lateral Program involves prioritizing thousands of laterals in the City that have experienced one or more chokes, implementing an effective inspection and data collection process for the laterals, and performing needed renewals or repairs promptly to increase the service life of the asset. The City anticipates that the Lateral Program will have a direct impact on reducing the frequency of lateral chokes and basement backups for customers over time.