My sewer lateral is plugged up and there is sewage running out of the vent pipe all over the ground! What do I do?

The first thing to check is the clean-out at the property line, where the house lateral connects to our main lateral. If the clean-out is dry, then the problem is between those two points on your property and a sewer-cleaning contractor needs to be called (frequently, lint or debris has plugged the trap). If the clean-out is full, call us and we will dispatch personnel to determine the cause. If the problem is in our section of pipe from the main to the property line or in the main itself, we will do what is necessary to relieve the blockage. If there is no property line clean-out for you to check, call us and we will check the mainline. If the mainline is operating properly, (usually more than one home is affected if it is not) you will be told. At that point, you should call a sewer-cleaning contractor. If he determines through his work that the blockage is off property, then he will call us and then we will have to dig up the pipe and find out what the problem is and fix it. A clean-out will then be installed for access.

Clean-outs are important. Please do NOT bury or make them inaccessible.