Why Newington basements back up when it rains
Newington gets both its water and its sewer service from the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC). The MDC's own Clean Water Project page for the town says Newington has 128 miles of sewer pipe, and 37 percent of it is more than 50 years old. It also says stormwater gets into the system through old cracked pipes and through homeowner connections such as downspouts, sump pumps and yard drains.
For you, that means a heavy rain can load the sewer from many directions at once. When the main fills, the lowest drain in a house, usually in the basement, is where the water shows up first.
A sump pump or downspout that discharges into the sewer makes the problem worse for everyone on the street. If you are not sure where yours drains, a plumber can trace it during a visit for drain cleaning or a sewer camera inspection.
Call MDC first: who owns which piece of the sewer
The MDC says the homeowner owns and maintains the sewer lateral, which is the line from your house to the main sewer. The main in the street belongs to the MDC. Its emergency page tells you to call the MDC Command Center at (860) 278-7850 and press 1 before any work starts.
That order matters. The MDC clears a blockage in its main, and if the blockage is in your lateral it hands you a form to take to your plumber. It also says it will not assume liability if the owner, a plumber or a sewer cleaner does not call first, so make the call before anyone puts a cable in the line.
| Where the blockage is | Who is responsible | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| In the MDC main under the street | MDC | Call the MDC Command Center first. Call the MDC Command Center first. |
| In your lateral between house and main | You, the homeowner | Get the MDC form, then book sewer line cleaning or hydro jetting. |
| In a branch drain inside the house | You, the homeowner | Stop using that fixture and ask dispatch about drain cleaning. |
| Cracked, collapsed or rooted lateral | You, the homeowner | Camera inspection first, then sewer line repair options. |
Ask MDC about lateral funding before you replace anything
The MDC runs a Sewer House Connection Program for lateral owners. Its program page lists reimbursement toward rodding and camera inspection, and funding of up to $10,000 toward renewing a full lateral, with conditions that include an MDC permit and inspection.
Whether your property qualifies is the MDC's decision, so ask before you sign a repair contract. A licensed, bonded and insured contractor is also required for lateral work on private property.
Four seasons of Newington plumbing calls
Weather sets the calendar for most plumbing trouble in town. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 1991 to 2020 normals for Hartford's Bradley Airport, about 20 miles northeast and not Newington itself, show 47.05 inches of precipitation and 51.70 inches of snow in a typical year, and a normal January low of 18.8 F.
Winter: freezing pipes and no heat
Pipes in garages, crawlspaces and exterior walls freeze first. A frozen line that splits only shows itself after thawing, so see burst pipe repair if you hear water in a wall.
Spring: thaw and ground water
Melting snow and soaked soil push water toward foundations. Test your sump pump now, before the first big storm, and check that its discharge line is clear.
Summer: downpours and sewer load
Short, heavy storms are when basement floor drains back up. Keep valuables off the floor and know where your main water shutoff is.
Fall: boilers wake up
Start-up season exposes drips at the boiler and radiator valves. A small weep is easier to fix in October than during the first cold night.
Mid-century homes and the pipes inside them
Census Bureau estimates for 2020 to 2024 put Newington's median home construction year at 1967. About 68 percent of the town's 13,577 housing units were built between 1940 and 1979, and roughly 40 percent between 1950 and 1969. About 78 percent of occupied homes are owner occupied.
A house from that era is more likely to still have original drain and waste piping, which is why a slow main drain in an older Newington home deserves a camera look before anyone assumes it is grease. If the supply lines are the issue, the repiping page explains the options.
Water in the basement and the MDC line is busy?
Describe what you see to dispatch. We will tell you what to shut off and how to approach the MDC call, then book the next available visit.
Flood-prone corners and what a sump pump can do
The Capitol Region Council of Governments hazard plan for Newington calls flooding a major concern. It names the Stamm Road area as one that frequently floods, and it lists minor flooding at Pheasant Run and Vivian Street and on Timber Lane. Brooks including Mill, Piper, Rockhole and Webster run through town.
If your home is near any of those spots, a working sump pump with a clear discharge line is your first defense, and a backflow valve on the sewer line is a question worth putting to a plumber. Where water keeps returning, basement waterproofing is the longer-term answer.
Permits for plumbing work in Newington
Newington's building department says a permit is needed before construction, alteration or repairs other than ordinary repairs, and it lists replacing or relocating water, sewer, drain and similar piping as work that goes beyond ordinary repair. For emergency repairs, its plumbing page says the permit application is due by the next working business day.
Connecticut's 2022 State Building Code adopts the 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC), and local officials apply it. Rules differ by job, so ask the town building department about yours, and expect the contractor to handle the application. Before any digging for a sewer or water line, call 811 or Call Before You Dig (CBYD) so buried utilities are marked.
Before we arrive at a Newington home
Stop the water
Close the main shutoff where the line enters the house. In a basement with standing water, do not wade in to reach it if the panel or outlets are nearby.
Power down wet areas
Turn off breakers for the basement or laundry only if you can reach the panel while dry. Otherwise stay out and tell dispatch.
Stop using drains
For a backup, do not flush, run the dishwasher or start the washer. Every gallon you add has nowhere to go but the floor drain.
Call MDC, then call us
Ring the MDC at (860) 278-7850, press 1, and write down what they say. Then call (860) 397-8103 and tell dispatch the result.
Newington streets we serve, from Newington Junction to the Berlin Turnpike
Newington has one street ZIP, 06111. The town runs from the Route 9 corner in the northwest to Newington Junction and the Berlin Turnpike corridor, with Town Hall on Garfield Street and Willard Avenue and Cedar Street as main cross routes. Tell dispatch your street address and the nearest cross street, and the crew will find you.
The regional planning council notes significant retail space along the Berlin Turnpike, so restaurants and shops there can also call for commercial plumbing help with kitchen drains and grease lines. Homeowners in West Hartford and Plainville have their own pages.