The City’s sewer system protects water quality, public health, and the environment by collecting sewage and stormwater and making it clean enough to be safely released to our local rivers without harming the public, our community, or the environment. Most developed propertied in Portland are connected to the public sewer system, and Environmental Services is building new sewer lines to extend service to other developed properties so that they may benefit from our public sewer system. Some properties may need to be connected to the sewer as a result of development actions, such as dividing lots. Other properties may have non-conforming sewers or septic tanks. On these pages, you will find the information you need to connect to the City's sewer system.