Roots can damage piping

City silent on fact it won’t pay for repairs if it’s from trees on property

Re: Tree bylaw loophole is clearcut, Barbara Yaffe column, Dec. 4

Property owners in Vancouver should be cautious about taking advantage of Vancouver’s offer of cheap trees. They may not be so cheap in the long run.

The city never mentions problems with their pipes connecting storm and sewer mains to private properties, and tree roots. The pipes have joints. These joints leak, and the escaping moisture attracts tree roots. Eventually, the roots block the pipes.

The first many people learn of this is when they discover sewage flooding their basement. If the city deems the roots came from a tree on your property, you will have to pay the city’s costs to clean out their leaky pipes. If you are lucky, you will have insurance to cover the cost of rebuilding your basement and replacing the contents.

Whether or not you are covered, you will be without the use of your basement for many months, while you act as an unpaid supervisor of a disruptive and complex project taking place during working hours and involving scores of different people.

The city’s solution is to visit once a year at a cost of perhaps $ 100-$ 200, to clean out their pipes. Trees are highly desirable in the city, but owners of trees have to deal with enough maintenance resulting from their trees without losses caused by deficient city infrastructure.

Is it a surprise the city isn’t more open about the possible downsides to having trees, when few would choose to have trees on their property if they were more aware of the issues? STEVE GRANT Vancouver