Who is responsible for cleaning up sewage spills, overflows, etc.?
Spills on private property or inside a private building are the responsibility of the property owner. The city maintains its sewers on a regular basis, but because there is no way to control inappropriate debris placed into the sewer, the Illinois Tort Immunity Act exempts the city from fault of sewer back ups when there is no knowledge of the blockage or negligence on the part of the city.

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1. What is a sewer tap?
2. What is a service line?
3. What is municipal sewage?
4. What is a sanitary sewer system?
5. What is an outfall sewer?
6. What happens when I request service from the Public Works Department?
7. Why does the city research easements on my property when handling my sewer repair problems?
8. How are repair requests prioritized?
9. What should a customer do when a sewage backup occurs in the home/yard, etc.?
10. Who is responsible for cleaning up sewage spills, overflows, etc.?
11. Still need help?
12. Do all insurance companies cover sewer back ups?