Municipal Sewer Root Control
Root control for municipal and utility sanitary sewer systems, to prevent blockages, overflows and pipe damage.
Keep roots out of the collection system
Ives Contracting provides sewer root control for municipalities and utilities across all of Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. We treat sanitary sewer lines to kill roots inside the pipe and slow regrowth, reducing blockages, overflows and the structural damage roots cause.
Roots enter sewer lines through joints and cracks, then grow into masses that catch debris and restrict flow. Mechanical cutting clears them temporarily. Root control treatment kills the roots in place and slows regrowth, so lines stay open longer between maintenance cycles.
We work from your inspection data and maintenance priorities, and document every segment treated for your records.
Municipal sewer root control across Hampton Roads: we provide sewer root control in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Williamsburg, and for municipalities, utilities and agencies statewide across Virginia and in northeastern North Carolina.
How foam root control works
Foam fills the pipe
Root control is applied as a foam pushed through the line from manhole to manhole, so it fills the pipe instead of running along the bottom.
Reaches every root
The foam coats roots at the top and sides of the pipe and works into joints and service connections where roots get in.
Kills roots in place
Roots die where they grow and break down over time, without cutting that can damage pipe or spur thicker regrowth.
What we provide
Root control treatment
Treatment of sanitary sewer mains to kill roots inside the pipe and slow regrowth.
Program planning
Treatment schedules built around your basins, problem segments and maintenance cycles.
Priority segments
Targeted work on lines with repeat stoppages or overflow history.
Treatment records
Documentation of every segment treated, for your maintenance and regulatory records.
Coordination with your crews
We schedule around your cleaning and inspection crews and traffic needs.
Related pest & vegetation work
IPM and vegetation control for treatment plants, pump stations and utility grounds.
Learn more →Why utilities choose Ives
- Built for municipal and utility collection systems
- Treatment records for every segment
- Crews that travel statewide across Virginia
- VDACS registered business
- Virginia DBE and SWaM #805517
- Available 24/7 for urgent problem lines
One-page PDF with our services, certifications, NAICS codes, UEI and CAGE, and contact information.
Common questions
Do you use foam root control?
Yes. We apply root control as a foam pushed through the line from manhole to manhole, so it reaches roots at the top and sides of the pipe and around joints and service connections.
Do you provide sewer root control in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake?
Yes. Ives Contracting is based in Virginia Beach and provides sewer root control throughout Hampton Roads, including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Williamsburg, as well as statewide across Virginia.
What is sewer root control?
Sewer root control is a treatment applied inside sanitary sewer lines that kills roots growing in the pipe and slows regrowth, reducing blockages and overflows without digging.
How is it different from cutting roots out?
Cutting clears roots temporarily, and they usually grow back thicker. Root control treatment kills the roots in place, so lines stay clear longer between maintenance cycles.
Who do you provide sewer root control for?
Municipalities, public utilities and other owners of sanitary sewer systems across Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.
Do you provide documentation?
Yes. We record every segment treated so your utility has a clear maintenance history.
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