Service
Sewage backup in Gastonia, NC
Waste water in the house is not a do-it-yourself mop job. Stay out of it, keep children and pets away, and call. The line connects you with an independent restoration contractor.
Tap the number to call. The line connects you with an independent restoration contractor, not with this website.
In the first hour
Stop using water
Do not flush, run the dishwasher or start the washer. Every drain that feeds the same line can add to the problem.
Find out whether the street sewer is involved
Gastonia's report-problems page gives one number for sewer problems, and says Two Rivers Utilities investigates any odor or backup a customer reports. If the main flows freely, the stoppage is in your service line.
Keep contact to a minimum
Do not walk through the water barefoot or handle soaked belongings without waterproof gloves and boots.
Photograph from the doorway
A record helps with insurance. See documenting the damage.
Who owns which part of the sewer
According to the City of Gastonia, Two Rivers Utilities maintains the water line up to the customer's meter. For sewer, if there is no cleanout at the property edge, the homeowner is responsible for blockages, and a problem in the service line means the city asks the customer to call a licensed plumber.
Belmont's published policy draws the line differently: the city maintains the primary sewer and the part of the lateral in the right-of-way only when a cleanout sits at or near the property line. See the utilities guide and your own town's rules.
Why it changes what can be kept
Water from a sewer is treated as contaminated. Porous items such as carpet, pad, upholstery and wet drywall are usually removed rather than dried. Hard surfaces can often be cleaned and disinfected.
A clean supply-line leak and a sewage backup can look alike on the floor and are handled very differently. See the category explanations on the terms page.
Insurance usually treats backup as its own item
The NC Department of Insurance says the standard homeowner's policy does not cover water damage due to a sewer or sump pump backup, though many companies sell that coverage as an endorsement. Check your policy for a backup endorsement before assuming either way.
Questions people ask
Is the city responsible for the cleanup?
The city can clear a blockage in its own main. It does not clean your house. Ask the utility what it found in the main when you report the backup.
Can I clean it myself?
Small, contained spills are sometimes handled by homeowners with proper protection. A backup that spread across a floor or into walls is better left to a contractor.
Official sources
Water is still spreading while you read
Call the number and describe what happened. The line routes your call to an independent restoration contractor who serves your ZIP code. Early calls leave more of the home dry.