Sanitary sewer systems handle 3 kinds of waste: used water, human waste, and toilet paper.  To prevent back-ups and keep these sytems working properrly, here are a few do's and dont's to keep in mind. They may seem like common sense, but you'd be surprised at how many people "do" the "dont's" !!

Don't pour grease, fat, or oil down your drain.
Instead, collect grease, fat, or oil in a container and dispose of it in the garbage.

Don't use the sewer to dispose of food scraps.
Instead, put food scraps in the garbage or start a compost pile.

Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket for garbage or chemicals. These items can kill "good" bacteria used for sewage treatment, and can enter the bay with harmful affects.
Instead, place a wastebasket in the bathroom to dispose of solid waste items. This includes disposable diapers and personal hygiene products.

Also, avoid planting trees with shallow, spreading root systems new your home's sewer lateral. Tree roots seek water sources such as cracked sewer lines. Once tree roots have penetrated the sewer lines through cracks, they can create a dense web and trap materials causing costly, messy back-ups.