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1. What do I do if sewage backs up in my home?

If sewage backs up in a toilet or basement tub, and you believe it is the result of a problem outside your house, call the Public Works Department at 708-535-4090, 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. weekdays, or the Police Department non-emergency line at 708-687-1376 after normal business hours and on weekends and holidays. Do not call a plumber until you have first spoken to someone at the Public Works Department.

2. Why should I call the Public Works Department first?

The Public Works Department will immediately send someone to your home to check the city's main sanitary sewer for a blockage. If the city's main is blocked, the Public Works Department will clear it at no expense to you. If you call a plumber before you call the Public Works Department, the plumber's fee will be your responsibility even if the blockage is in the main sewer.

3. What if the cause of the backup is not in the main sewer?

If the cause of the backup is somewhere in the service line that connects your home to the main sewer, it is the responsibility of the property owner to hire a licensed plumber to clear the blockage.

4. Is the cost of clearing a blockage in the service line the homeowner's responsibility?

It is the property owner's responsibility - whether the blockage can be freed by power rodding or a repair is needed. If a repair to the house connection is necessary, the owner must hire a licensed contractor to perform the work, under permit from the city. In short, any service line problem that prevents the homeowner's sanitary sewer flow from entering the public main line is the property owner's responsibility. If the homeowner's lateral has a previous history of root problems, the Public Works Department's Sewer Division should be notified so we may televise the public main line.
View the sewer line diagram.

5. Do backwater valves help prevent sewage backing up into my basement?

Yes. While blockages are far less predictable than sewer surcharges, the end result is essentially the same -- sewage in your basement. A backwater valve will prevent backups by allowing sewage to only flow in one direction (out of your home).

6. Could an overhead sewer help prevent sewage backing up into my home?

Yes. Sewer surcharges can occur when rainwater enters the sanitary sewer system. An overhead sewer will prevent backups as it discharges out of the home at a higher elevation than the manhole in the street.