For any municipality, it’s crucial to maintain the key infrastructure that supports the daily lives of their communities. 

Among the many services provided by a city, the upkeep of water and sewage systems is one of the most important, but often one of the most overlooked. 

Over time, roots from trees and other plants infiltrate underground sewer systems, causing blockages or significant damage and disruption. Keeping up with root control isn’t just about preventing repairs, it’s about ensuring the safety and efficiency of municipal infrastructure.

Roots Cause Major Blockages

Tree roots naturally seek out water and nutrient sources, and underground sewer pipes are the perfect target. As sewage passes through the pipe it releases nitrogen gas and trace phosphorus which is a beacon for roots. They follow the source to the pipe and build a path to the source, a single cell at a time spreading over time to create a much more serious intrusion problem.

Roots can find tiny cracks or joints in sewer lines, making those tiny imperfections entry points for intrusive roots. And once they’re inside, those roots can begin growing rapidly, clogging pipes and causing serious blockages.

Those blockages can lead to sewage backups or overflows, which put residents and local waterways at risk. 

Blockages aren’t just inconvenient — they get more costly over time if left untreated. But routine root control can prevent those issues before they escalate.

Unchecked Root Growth Can Cause Structural Damage

When roots make their way into utility pipes, they aren’t just a clogging issue, they can also cause physical damage to the pipes themselves. 

As roots grow and spread, they exert pressure from the inside, causing cracks and breakage or even completely crushing pipes to the point of collapse. Those cases often require extensive and expensive repairs. 

By failing to address root intrusion early, municipalities are at risk of requiring large sections of infrastructure work. But those who proactively manage roots can help extend the lifespan of pipes.

A More Cost-Effective Maintenance Strategy

Root control measures require significantly less upfront maintenance than the alternative: dealing with major sewer backups or replacing badly damaged infrastructure. In areas where regular root control is used sewer system overflows relating to roots can be reduced by as much as 90 percent. 

By proactively keeping pipes clear and preventing root growth and advancement, municipalities can avoid these high-cost solutions, instead turning their root control into a more manageable recurring budget item. 

The lack of emergency treatments and solutions also avoids emergency call-outs, disruption of public services, emergency situations in harsh weather and more, all of which can become costly expenses.

Preventing Environmental and Public Health Hazards

Compromised sewer lines create an increased risk for wastewater and other substances spilling into the environment. 

In addition to the inconvenience and expense of solving these problems, contaminated or septic water can have harmful effects on local ecosystems and pose significant health risks to the public in the area. 

In extreme cases, untreated sewer can reach rivers, lakes and other groundwater sources, resulting in the risk for widespread contamination and even greater expenses.

By ensuring consistent and proactive root control, cities can safeguard against these hazards and protect residents.

Maintaining System Efficiency 

Root control isn’t just about avoiding catastrophe, it’s about maintaining a functional and efficient system. 

Pipes that are damaged or clogged can mean a slowdown of water flow, which increases the risk of failures, exfiltration into groundwater and other complications. 

Just like regular upkeep can keep a car or house operating efficiently, regular sewer maintenance can keep an entire city’s sewer system running smoothly while reducing the likelihood of issues, failures and even emergencies.