Sewage Cleanup FAQ

Stop using water in the building, keep people and pets out of the area, avoid contact with the water, avoid electrical hazards, photograph the damage and call for help with the line and the cleanup.

If the backup is confined to one room that can be closed off and no one in the home is high-risk, many people stay. If sewage has spread into living areas or affects your only bathroom, staying elsewhere until cleanup is complete is safer.

Bleach is not a substitute for cleaning and removal. Surfaces must be cleaned of organic material first, porous materials that absorbed sewage usually need to be removed, and bleach must never be mixed with ammonia-based products.

Often both. A plumber or drain service clears the blockage. A cleanup team handles the contamination. If sewage is still flowing, start with the plumber.

Yes. Sewage can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites. It is classified as Category 3 water, the highest-risk category, under the IICRC S500 standard.

Infants and young children, pregnant women, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system or open wounds.

Odor alone does not tell you how much contamination is present, but a persistent sewer smell means something should be found and fixed — often a leak under the house or a dry drain trap.

It is water that is grossly contaminated, such as sewage, septic backup or rising floodwater. Porous materials it soaks into generally need to be removed.

Typically carpet and pad, drywall and insulation below the wet line, particleboard or MDF furniture and cabinets, mattresses and upholstered items, and any exposed food, medicine or cosmetics.

Non-porous items like tile, metal, glass and hard plastic, plus solid wood framing and sealed concrete, can usually be cleaned and disinfected.

It depends on how much area is affected, how long the sewage sat and how quickly materials dry. Extraction and removal are often done in a day; drying commonly takes several more days.

Drywall wicks water upward. Cutting above the visible line lets the hidden wet section and the framing behind it be cleaned and dried.

The City of Meridian states property owners are responsible for their sewer lines from the property to the street, and the City maintains lines in the public right-of-way.

If neighbors are also backing up, the public main may be involved — contact your city or sewer district. If only your property is affected, the private lateral is the more likely cause.

Repeat backups usually point to roots, a sag, an offset joint or broken pipe. A camera inspection of the line shows the cause.

Central District Health in Ada County and Southwest District Health in Canyon County.

Many standard policies exclude sewer or drain backup unless a water/sewer backup endorsement was added. Check your policy or ask your agent.

Photos and video before anything is moved, a list of damaged items, records of the plumbing repair and cause, and the cleanup scope including what was removed and moisture readings.