Sewer connection and blocked drains/sewers
If your drain is blocked, you are responsible for getting it cleared. A plumber or drainage company can do this for you. You can report the blockage to us if it is outside your property boundary.
Report a blockage
You can report a blockage via Report a problem. In case of an emergency, you can report the blockage by calling 14 043 (available 24 hours a day). We will call in a drainage contractor to solve the problem.
The employee of the drainage company will bring the form 'Work at the expense of wrongfulness' with them. You must sign the form before they can get to work.
Cause of the blockage
We will pay for the drainage services if the blockage is caused by a sewer defect on municipal grounds. You will have to pay for the drainage services yourself if the defect is on your property, or if there is no obvious cause. If you have called in a drainage company yourself and the cause proves to be on municipal grounds, you can ask us to reimburse the costs. You can ask for reimbursement via Report a problem.
Costs of unblocking services
If the blockage is caused by an object, by misuse or by dirt in your own drain, you will have to pay for the unblocking services yourself.
Urine, faeces, ordinary toilet paper and (dish) washing water can go down the drain. All other substances must be disposed of as rubbish. Visit www.nietinhetriool.nl to learn more.
Sewer connection permit
If you want a new (temporary) connection to the sewer, or if you want to change an existing connection, you can send an online request (with DigiD or eHerkenning).
We will review your request within 6 to 8 weeks of receipt. A processing fee applies. You will receive a separate estimate of the costs for person-hours if needed. We will calculate the actual costs for the construction of a new connection.
Rainwater
The Maastricht 2022 Rainwater and Groundwater Regulation has been in force since 1 January 2022. It sets rules for rainwater storage on your own property. The rules focus on new construction and extensions larger than 100 m2. The flow chart (in Dutch) tells you which rules apply to you.
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Try to get a personal referral from friends or people you know. Or opt for a member of the Techniek Nederland industry association.
If you are in a rush and need help from a plumber immediately, use a search engine and choose the smaller local plumbers that appear when you scroll down, not the ones that appear first. Visit the Consumentenbond website for more tips.
If you have fallen victim to an unreliable plumbing or drainage company, always report it to the police.
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Heat waves and heavy rain are becoming more frequent, causing water shortages during drought and flooding during heavy rain showers. Streets and basements can flood and sewage can become polluted during heavy rains. We take preventive measures together with surrounding municipalities and water organisations. But we can only make a real difference with your help. With minor adjustments and a favourable subsidy scheme you can waterproof your garden, reduce the risk of flooding and prevent the soil from drying out.
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Sewers are designed to take away sewage and rainfall during a normal rain shower. Prolonged periods of heavy rainfall can overwhelm the sewers, and in some cases they are unable to carry the extra water away quickly enough. The excess water can end up in public spaces: on the roads, on the pavements and in public green spaces. The water normally disappears gradually after the rain shower. The roads, sidewalks and green will dry within a few hours.
A gully (road drain) is probably clogged if the water doesn't clear within a few hours. If you see leaves on the grid, please remove them to allow water to flow back into the gully. You can contact us if the water is still not draining. You can report a blockage via the MijnGemeente app or via Report a problem. You can also call us on 14 043. We will clear the blockage as soon as possible.
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Flooding in your basement or crawl space can have various causes, for example groundwater entering through the basement or crawl space, or a leaking water or drain pipe.
In case of flooding in and around the house, it’s important to find out the cause as soon as possible. The homeowner is responsible for keeping an underground space, such as the basement or crawl space, dry.
Groundwater
Crawl spaces and basements do not need to be completely waterproofed. Most crawl spaces have a sand floor. Water can flow in freely when it rains for a long time or when groundwater rises. It will go away on its own. Always ensure good ventilation in the basement or crawl space. And make sure there are no leaks in the water pipes or the house sewer line.
Also basements with marl walls usually do not need to be completely waterproofed. You can get rid of moisture in your marl walls by ensuring proper ventilation. You can call in an expert for advice if the moisture doesn’t go away. Waterproofing marl walls can cause problems: it prevents the material from breathing and can cause damage to the foundation of your house.
Sewage overflows at home
Flooding in the basement or crawl space can also be caused by a connection point below street level that is directly connected to the municipal sewer, or by a drain that also carries rainwater. A shower drain, toilet, washing machine connection or rainwater drain, for example.
In the event of heavy rainfall, the municipal sewer and your own drain will be filled with rainwater. Your drains might be unable to carry away the rainwater quickly enough if your house does not have a separate rainwater drain. The sewage will find its way out at the lowest connection point.
The homeowner is responsible for the proper installation of indoor drains and for taking the correct measures to prevent backflow through connection points. For example, by installing a pump or non-return valve. A plumber can check your indoor drains and advise solutions.
Water from outside
As a homeowner, you are usually responsible for taking measures to prevent flooding in and around your home. Please ensure that your basement or crawl space stays dry and prevent flooding in your garden. Consider installing drainage for your terrace or raising your garden level to prevent rainwater from flowing into your house. If the rainwater comes from outside your property or from the public space, the municipality is responsible in most cases.
You can report flooding via the MijnGemeente app or via Report something. You can also call us on 14 043. In case of a water emergency causing (possible) danger, please call 112.
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As a municipality, we are responsible for the collection and transport of wastewater (sewage) and precipitation (rain, snow). We also take care of the groundwater. To this end, we manage a system of sewers, pressure pipes and sewage pumping stations, but also the Meuse, streams, ponds and much more. Together, all these elements form the urban water system. Maintenance takes place all year round, so we can keep the urban water system in good condition.
Gully cleaning
Gullies are road drains. They ensure that rainwater flows away properly and that we keep our feet dry. Gullies collect a lot of dirt over the course of a year. We have all gullies cleaned by Rions to ensure the free flow of rainwater to the sewer.
- All 26,000 gullies are cleaned once a year (between April and July).
- Each November we organise an extra cleaning of all gullies within the boulevards (singels) and at roads that are prone to flooding.
Pumps and pumping stations
Water always flows towards the lowest point. This is sometimes impossible because the area is flat, because the distance to the water treatment plant is too long or because the Meuse is in the way. In such cases, we install sewage pumping stations with large pumps, which send the wastewater under high pressure through pressure pipes. Xylem ensures that all systems continue to work properly and handles all malfunctions on behalf of the municipality.
Fountains
The fountains in the public area are turned on in April and turned off in October every year. During the period that the fountains are on, Xylem maintains the fountains on behalf of the municipality. Xylem checks the water quality every month and carries out maintenance on the installations if necessary.
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Rats mostly live in our sewers, where they find everything they need: water, food, shelter and nesting places. If the sewer breaks or gets too busy, rats will go outside the sewer to explore. They will dig burrows or build nests once they have found a suitable spot with food and shelter. If you have a rat problem in or around your home, you can report it to us. The municipality can give you advice on preventing and combating rat nuisance. Visit our page about page about pests and vermin to learn more.