Service
Sewage backup in Bowie, Maryland
Dirty water from a toilet, tub or floor drain is a health matter first and a property matter second.
Give your ZIP code and say what happened. Calling soon after you find the water helps.
Protect yourself first
Federal guidance on cleaning up after flood and sewage water says to keep children and pets away, wear rubber gloves, boots and goggles, and wash and disinfect any wound that touches the water. CDC's cleaning guidance after a disaster adds a mask.
Soft items that were soaked, such as mattresses, rugs and carpet with pad, generally cannot be made safe and are discarded. The same guidance says drywall and insulation contaminated with sewage should come out. EPA also says that when damage comes from sewage, a professional should be called.
Whose pipe is it?
That decides who must act. WSSC Water's customer FAQs explain where its responsibility for the sewer line ends and the homeowner's begins.
WSSC Water's backups page explains what the utility handles and what is left to the homeowner and a plumber, and how to ask about damage from the utility's side.
In the Crofton area, Anne Arundel County's Department of Public Works handles customer water and sewer service, and its emergency number handles sewer backups: (410) 222-8400.
Who to contact for what
| The blockage or the main | Your utility. WSSC Water: its report-a-problem page. Anne Arundel County: (410) 222-8400. |
|---|---|
| The cleanup and damaged materials | A restoration contractor, which is what this number connects you to. |
| The pipe on your side | A plumber registered with the utility, with a permit where the work is underground. |
| The cost of damage | Your insurer, if you hold a water or sewer backup endorsement. The insurance guide explains it. |
Water still running or standing?
Call and say where the water is and what caused it. You will be connected with an independent restoration contractor taking calls for your ZIP code.