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Water and Sewage

What should I do if sewer backs up into my house?

The back up of sewage through the drains in your home or business is an unpleasant prospect. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your property.

Wastewater flows through small lines on your property to the larger, county lines in the street. From there the sewage travels by gravity or pressure to a water reclamation facility. The stream is constant, wit peaks in the morning and evening. Each day millions of gallons of wastewater safely reaches the county’s seven facilities to be reclaimed and returned to the environment.

Unfortunately, a blockage in the sewer line can interfere with this normally quiet, out-of-sight process. A blockage in the private or county line causes a back up through floor drains and toilets at the lowest point in your home or business. The overflow will continue until the blockage is removed or until sewage is no longer entering the line.

The Department of Public Works combines educational efforts with regular maintenance and investigative practices to prevent blockages. Customer information in the bills, public presentations, and school programs help our customers understand what can safely be disposed of down the drain. The Inflow/Infiltration Section identifies problems, schedules repairs, and manages rehabilitation programs on over 1000 miles of county sewer lines.

If an Overflow Occurs:

Call the Water & Sewerage Division at (410) 535-1600 Ext. 2329 between 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and for emergencies after hours call the Calvert Control Center at (410) 535-3491. Thank you!

If the sewer cleanout is accessible, an emergency crew will be able to determine if the blockage is in the customer’s line or in the county line. If the blockage is in the county line, the crew will be able to break the blockage, ending the back up.

If there is not a cleanout, or if the cleanout cannot be located, you will need to call a plumber to assist you.

What Causes A Sewer Back-up?

Anything, which should not be in a sewer line, has the potential of causing a blockage. For example:

• Kitchen grease, disposable diapers, and sanitary napkins can accumulate and cause a blockage.
• Tree roots seeking moisture can grow through cracks in the lines, causing a blockage.
• Vandals have stopped up lines by putting bricks, wood, oil filters, bed springs, and even Christmas trees in manholes.
• Illegal hookups allow excess water into the lines. Outside stairwell drains, sump pumps, roof leaders, and drain gutters should never be connected to the sewer system. A sewer system is designed to carry a predetermined amount of sewage. Rain water not only overloads the system, but also raises the cost of the treatment process.

What Can I Do To Prevent Back-ups?

To protect your property follow these simple Do’s and Don’ts.

• DON’T Put diapers or sanitary napkins in the toilet
• DON’T Dispose of grease down the drain
• DON’T Plant trees near sewer lines
• DON’T Connect any drains or sump pumps to the sewer system
  
  
• DO Install a plumbers test plug (available at hardware stores) at the lowest floor drain in your home
• DO Hire a plumber to install a backflow valve on the lowest drain line. Regularly inspect and maintain the valve
• DO Modify the plumbing line so that water is pumped to an upper level drain, eliminating the drains at the lower level
  

AND, JUST IN CASE:

• Locate and keep accessible the sewer cleanout in your front yard. If you do not have a cleanout, have one installed by a plumber. The cleanout is the property owner’s responsibility
• Check your homeowners insurance policy. If you are not covered for back-ups, call your agent for information on costs and coverage options
• If you experience a back-up, save all receipts related to any repair, cleaning, or damages

Do You Know Where Your Cleanout Is?

This is the first question you will hear from our emergency service personnel if you ever have a sewer line blockage.

The cleanout is a pipe located near the property line that rises from your sewer line to about 4” above ground level and is capped.

Quite frequently, the cleanout becomes buried or hidden over the years and is forgotten. In some cases, older homes may never have had a cleanout installed by the plumber.

As a property owner, you are responsible for your cleanout. If the cleanout is buried, a registered plumber should be able to locate and raise it for you. If it is hidden, you will need to make it easy for out crew to access. To obtain the location of the cleanout according to county records, call (410) 535-1600 Ext. 2329.

When your cleanout is accessible, the Division can correct any problem that may be disrupting your service on the county side of the line. Remember, if you experience a sewer line blockage, call us first at (410) 535-1600 Ext. 2329. This could save the unnecessary expense of a plumber. Please click on “Clean Out” for a diagram of a typical installation.

What About The Cost Involved In The Clean Up?

The Division of Water and Sewer is very sensitive to your feelings for the inconvenience caused by a sewer back-up in your home.

The Department is responsible for maintaining the wastewater lines from the main line to your sewer cleanout. It is the homeowners responsibility to maintain the house cleanout and sewer lateral.

What is the water main flushing program and what are its benefits?

In an effort to provide the highest quality water to our customers, the Water and Sewer Division performs routine maintenance on the water distribution system by scheduled flushing of the water mains. The flushing is performed by drawing enough water through the mains at sufficient force and duration to flush out accumulated deposits of sediments.

By the use of valve closures, workers are able to isolate the main being flushed and direct the flow of water one way towards a fire hydrant. The main is then flushed by opening a hydrant at sufficient velocity to loosen and remove sediment, resulting in clean, clear water.

This program benefits our customers by helping to maintain flow capacity and water quality in our water distribution system. The flushing program removes impurities associated with new and repaired mains. It allows us to eliminate taste and odors and remove discolored water.

Flushing is usually scheduled for the Spring and Fall for approximately nine weeks in each season. The Spring flushing begins in April and the Fall season begins in October. Scheduling is done in this way to minimize freezing problems and to avoid peak Summer demand.

Notices informing residents of the flushing are posted on major arteries leading into neighborhoods 48 hours in advance of the actual start of work.

What should I do if my water is cloudy or discolored?

Cloudy or discolored water can occur as a result of flushing the water mains. If you have noticed a sign in your community notifying residents of flushing to be performed, this could be the reason for the cloudiness. Usually running the water for a few minutes will clear any sediment in the lines. If you continue to have a problem with discolored water and you are sure there was flushing in the area, you may call the Division of Water and Sewerage at (410) 535-1600 Ext. 2329 or after hours call the Control Center at (410) 535-3491.

What should I do if rust colored stains appear on my clothes after washing?

If the County is flushing the water lines in your area do not do laundry. If you do laundry, the resulting sediment in the water may leave a rust colored stain on your clothes. To avoid this problem, run the washer through a cold water rinse cycle while empty.

What should I do if I am still concerned about the quality of my water?

The Division of Water and Sewer is assigned to handle our customers concerns regarding water quality. Calling our office at 410-535-1600 ext. 2329 can quickly solve most water quality issues, and we will dispatch the appropriate personnel to investigate the inquiry. The Division staff responds to inquiries by phone or through field investigation to address such issues as dirty/cloudy water, odor concerns, water pressure concerns, water hardness, and some limited field/laboratory chemical testing

Save Water Now, Conserve for the Future…

• Cutback on long showers and don’t fill the tub up to the brim
• Only use the dishwasher with full loads
• Never leave the water running while brushing your teeth or washing your face
• Sweep outside with a broom, don’t use the hose
• Encourage your family to keep looking for new ways to conserve water in and around your home
• Repair all leaks
• Vegetables and fruit should be washed with a brush in a basin of water rather than under a running tap
• Experiment to determine the water needs for your lawn. Only water when necessary
• For small areas of grass, water by hand to avoid waste
• Only use the washing machine with full loads
• Re-use aquarium water for household plants
• Thaw frozen foods in your refrigerator rather than running under the tap
• Have your water heater insulated to save money and energy
• Evaporation can make hundreds of gallons of water disappear. If you have a swimming pool, get a cover for it
• Flush only when necessary
• Use the wastebasket instead of the toilet for trash
• Try the concept of Xeriscape, which means landscaping for water conservation
• Use faucet aerators on your sink to reduce water use while maintaining the flow
• Recycle the soapy water from washing the car on your lawn or flower bed
• Economize by re-using bath water for shrubs or cleaning jobs