Sewer Backups and Clogged Drains in Alpharetta

01Is it one drain or the main line?

A single slow sink or shower usually points to a clog in that fixture's drain. When several fixtures back up at once, or water comes up in a floor drain or the lowest shower when a toilet is flushed, the blockage is more likely in the building drain or the sewer lateral that carries waste to the public sewer. Stop using water in the house until it is cleared, because every flush adds to the backup.

If sewage is overflowing from a manhole, a public cleanout or a line in the street, report it to Fulton County. The County's emergency repairs page lists 404-612-3061 for north Fulton sewer emergencies, and its Public Works contacts page lists the same number for north Fulton sanitary sewer concerns, with customer service and after-hours response.

02Who owns the sewer lateral

Fulton County's service lateral flyer says that if the sewer lateral between your home or business and the property line clogs, leaks or breaks, repairs are the owner's responsibility, even if the blockage is located within a public road right-of-way or a sewer easement. That differs from the water side, where the County owns the line from the main to the meter.

The flyer says that by connecting to the County system the property owner accepts responsibility for maintaining and operating the service laterals, and compares them to a driveway: if it is damaged, the owner repairs it. Many homeowners are not aware of this until a backup happens.

03When the County will help

The flyer sets three conditions under which Public Works will assist in removing a blockage within the right-of-way or easement: there is a serious threat to public health if the problem is not resolved urgently; a private plumbing professional hired by the property owner is present; and the property owner signs a release holding the County harmless against damage while it assists the owner's plumber.

For cleanouts and repairs within the right-of-way or easement, the County or a County-approved contractor is authorised to do the work, the owner bears the cost and pays the stipulated fee before work starts, and the County will not repair laterals outside the right-of-way or easement under any circumstances. A licensed plumber can explain which of these applies to your line.

04Drain cleaning and camera inspection

A plumber usually starts by clearing the blockage through a cleanout, then may recommend a camera inspection to see why it happened: roots, grease, a sag in the pipe or a broken section. If the lateral needs digging or replacement, Georgia 811 asks anyone digging to contact 811 first so buried utilities can be marked. Alpharetta's plumbing permit application lists sewer install or repair as a permitted line item.

Georgia requires anyone contracting or performing plumbing for hire to be licensed, as Alpharetta's permitting procedures note under O.C.G.A. 43-14. Our license guide explains the master plumber classes, and plumbing permits covers when a permit is needed.

05Grease and what goes down the drain

Fulton County runs a commercial pretreatment program and lists it among its water services; at home, the simplest protection is to keep cooking grease, wipes and other solids out of drains.

If your home has a sewage ejector or sump pump, for example in a basement bathroom, check that it runs and that its alarm works. Alpharetta's plumbing permit application lists ejector and sump pumps as a separate line item, which means replacement is permitted work.

06After the cleanup

Sewage backups can damage floors, walls and belongings. Take photos, keep the plumber's invoice and contact your insurer if the damage is significant. If a leak in a water line, not the sewer, caused the problem, see Fulton County leak adjustments for the bill.

For other urgent problems see the emergency steps. A Free Quote Request lets independent licensed plumbers contact you about drain cleaning or sewer line repair.