From what you describe - large containers, uphill from the sewer access and given that the sewer itself is several feet below ground and in most cases doesn't come into direct soil contact anyway - I don't think you have anything to be concerned about.

Dave

Don't know on the sewer bit, but think you are safe. Just want to urge you to try the container thing again. I am new to it and am getting great results. Have a stupice about to pick that I started from a shoot in July. The rest of my regular garden is dead from blight. Read up on it and I would suggest that the most imprortant thing is the potting mix-not soil, at least for me.
Kenny

I keep all my containers off the ground by setting them on a circle of bricks or flag-stones or even pressure treated lumber. My concern here at the "Bucket Farm" is from the Bitter Hickory trees. They produce a chemical the same as Walnut trees that slowly kill tomatoes. I, too, am concerned about "wicking up" pathogens or other undesirables. By keeping them from direct contact with the ground, I have effectively eliminated all soil born diseases and pests.

The other thing to consider is that by raising the containers, the water can only make a one way trip. Barring a flood, the bad stuff can't come up and the constant watering washes things down, out, and away.

Thank you so much. We were intending on using the containers again, and with potting soil. I had read that in our part of the country, if you don't put in much mulch, the tomatoes will get end rot, and that is what happened. we will raise the pots onto cement blocks - especially since they are going into former rose beds, and would run the risk of sinking if we are not careful.

Sammy

"The area in the yard that we are interested in is a raised area near where the manhole of the sewer is located."

Just wondering if the area (where you want to grow tomatoes) is located above a septic drain field?

Sammy, in the containers you should not use anything that ends with the word "Soil". We all use "potting MIX" which is soil free. And everyone gets BER on occasion. No one knows for sure why it appears, but most have concluded that it follows a time period when the plant has been stressed. Irregular watering, poor balance of nutrients, calcium deficiency, too hot, too cold, too much sun, not enough sun, and the list of stress causes goes on and on.

We all hope for a minimum of BER and a season without it at all would be cause for celebration and bragging.