Clogged sewer
Do you have multiple drains in your home that aren’t draining properly? If so, the sewer line under your house or in your yard may be clogged.
The blockage could also be in the municipal sewer system or in the section between your home and the municipal sewer. To check this, the sewer access point or the service line must be dug up. You can do this yourself or have a plumber do it.
The inspection chamber is the manhole between your private sewer and the municipal sewer system. If you’re not sure where the inspection chamber is located or where the problem is, you can submit a request using the online “Sewer Maps” form. The municipality will then check whether this information is available
Is there no water in the inspection chamber or in the house connection pipe? Then the blockage is likely in the sewer system on your own property. In this case, you are responsible for clearing the blockage. For example, you can hire a sewer cleaning company. You will then have to pay the costs yourself.
Is the drain trap or the house connection pipe full of water? Then the problem is likely outside your property and in the municipal sewer system. In this case, please contact the municipality via the email address riolering@voorschoten.nl. We’ll visit you as soon as possible to assess the situation. And if necessary, we’ll call in our contractor to clear the blockage.
Please note: you are not allowed to dig in public areas on your own.
Cause of the blockage
If it turns out that you caused the clog yourself, the Municipality of Voorschoten may recover the repair costs from you. This can happen when something is flushed down the toilet or sink that does not belong there. Examples include cooking oil, wet toilet paper, sanitary pads, tampons, leftover medication, or cleaning wipes.
If you did not cause the clog, you will not be charged. For example, you will not receive a bill if the clog was caused by tree roots (from trees in public spaces) or by a sagging or defective pipe. In this case, the municipality is responsible for the costs. In such cases, previously incurred costs—such as those for a plumber and camera inspection—may also be recovered from the municipality. For more information, visit the “Holding the Municipality Liable” webpage.
Use the sewer system only for its intended purpose. It’s very simple: anything that comes from the human body, dry toilet paper, and anything that can pass through the strainer in the sink may be flushed down the sewer.