Click on a link below for more information:
- Does Public Sewer Run Past My House?
- How Can I Connect to the Sewer System?
- What If I Have a Blocked Sewer?
- What Can I Flush?
- How Do You Keep the County Sewer System Running Properly?
- How is Sewage Treated?
- What If There Is No Public Sewer In My Area?
- Call Before You Dig!
Does Public Sewer Run Past My House?
The County owns sewer systems in Bible Hill, Brookfield, Debert, Great Village, Hilden, North River, Onslow, Salmon River, Tatamagouche, Truro Heights, and Valley.
To see if there is a public sewer system in your area, check out the maps below:
- pdf Bible Hill Sewer System (5.79 MB)
- pdf Brookfield Sewer System (659 KB)
- pdf Debert Sewer System (939 KB)
- pdf Great Village Sewer System (227 KB)
- pdf Hilden Sewer System (929 KB)
- pdf North River Sewer System (541 KB)
- pdf Onslow Sewer System (1.10 MB)
- pdf Salmon River Sewer System (2.17 MB)
- pdf Tatamagouche Sewer System (1.02 MB)
- pdf Truro Heights Sewer System (920 KB)
- pdf Valley Sewer System (3.35 MB)
How Can I Connect to the Sewer System?
All new connections to the sewer system require a permit from our Community Development Office.
Permits cost $150.
For residential properties (single family and duplex), if there is no lateral extending from the main line to the property line, owners are required to pay between $5,000 and $7,000 to have Public Works install the new lateral to the property line. Before your permit is issued, we will let you know how much the lateral will cost.
For multi-unit and commercial properties, the Owner is responsible for the installation of the lateral from the main line to the property line.
Be sure to protect yourself from sewer backups by installing a backwater valve on your sewer line.
What If I Have a Blocked Sewer?
The sewer line running from your home to the main line under the road (your ‘lateral’) can sometimes be blocked by grease, fat, paper products, flushable wipes or roots.
If you suspect you have a sewer blockage, the first step is to call the Public Works Office at 902-897-3175, Option 2, to make sure there are no issues with the main sewer line.
If the main sewer line is running properly, you will need to hire a plumber to clear the blockage in your lateral. The County does not clear blockages in sewer laterals.
What Can I Flush?
Sewer blockages can lead to costly property damage!
Help prevent sewer blockages in your home and in the County lines by following pdf these simple rules (451 KB) .
How Do You Keep the County Sewer System Running Properly?
The County owns and maintains roughly 211 km of sewer lines, 31 sewage pumping stations and over 2,000 manholes.
Staff spend many hours repairing, cleaning, and inspecting the sewer lines under the road. It is really important we keep these main lines running freely.
Sewer line flushing is done annually in the Spring and Fall.
Manholes and sewer lines are inspected on a 5 to 7 year rotation for each area.
Vacuum truck cleaning manholes and sewer lines.
How Is Sewage Treated?
The County owns and operates 5 sewage treatment plants. See below to find out more about each plant:
1. Central Colchester Wastewater Treatment Facility
| Year Constructed | 1995 |
| Number of Connections | 5,200 |
| Technology Used | Sequencing Batch Reactor |
| Average Flows (m3/day) | 18,500 |
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2. Brookfield Sewage Treatment Plant
| Year Constructed | 2003 |
| Number of Connections | 300 |
| Technology Used | Sequencing Batch Reactor |
| Average Flows (m3/day) | 780 |
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3. Tatamagouche Sewage Treatment Plant
| Year Constructed | 2005 |
| Number of Connections | 160 |
| Technology Used | Sequencing Batch Reactor |
| Average Flows (m3/day) | 441 |
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4. Debert Sewage Treatment Plant
| Year Constructed | 1976 |
| Number of Connections | 200 |
| Technology Used | Sequencing Batch Reactor |
| Average Flows (m3/day) | 576 |
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5 Great Village Treatment Plant
| Year Constructed | 2003 |
| Number of Connections | 70 |
| Technology Used | Activated Sludge |
| Average Flows (m3/day) | 100 |
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To arrange for a tour of our sewage treatment plant, contact our Manager, Kerry-Anne Taylor at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
What If There Is No Public Sewer In My Area?
If you are located in an area without a public sewer system, you will need to install an on-site septic system.
For more information on septic systems, contact Nova Scotia Environment at 902-893-5880.
Call Before You Dig!
Sewer lines can be located anywhere. Contact the Public Works Office at 902-897-3175, Option 2, for pipe locates before digging or fill out the form below and email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..