Sewage Cleanup in Newport News, VA
Sewage cleanup for Newport News homes is the removal, disinfection and drying that follow a sewer backup, a toilet overflow or floodwater that came up through a floor drain. Anything porous it soaked usually has to go.
Sewage cleanup in Newport News: what happens in the house
Sewage carries bacteria and whatever else was in the line, so the cleanup is built around getting contaminated material out rather than drying it in place.
In order, the work usually goes like this:
- Keep people out of the area, and stop using toilets, sinks and the washer until the line is cleared, since every flush adds to the water on the floor.
- Pumps and extractors pull out the standing water and waste.
- Carpet, pad, the bottom of the drywall, insulation and upholstered furniture that the water reached are generally cut out and bagged. The CDC's guidance is to throw away anything that cannot be disinfected.
- Studs, concrete, tile and other hard surfaces are cleaned first, then disinfected.
- Dehumidifiers and air movers run until moisture readings in the framing are back to normal. Only then does rebuilding start.
Category 3 water damage and black water
The restoration trade sorts water by how contaminated it is. Its water damage standard, IICRC S500, puts sewage in the worst class, Category 3, often called black water. Floodwater that has run across the ground and through streets belongs there too, because it picks up whatever it passes over. The CDC warns plainly that floodwater may contain sewage.
The category decides the method. Clean water from a burst supply line can often be dried where it lies; black water damage means removal. That is why a sewage job costs more than a leak of the same size, and why it should not be treated like one.
Sewer backup in Newport News: what the City maintains
The City of Newport News owns and runs the public sewer collection system. Its Wastewater Division has about 100 staff, and the City's sewer operations page counts more than 190 pumping stations. When a resident reports a stoppage, City crews investigate the cause and clear the blockage where they can, and the City's Collector Operations section repairs or replaces broken mainlines, laterals and manholes.
Overflows from the public system are reported to the state. The City publishes an annual sanitary sewer overflow report listing the reportable ones.
Who is responsible for sewer line repair?
That depends on where the break or blockage is, and the City's pages we read do not spell out where its responsibility for a lateral ends and the owner's begins. Ask the City's Wastewater Division before paying for pipe work, since the answer can move the bill from you to them.
We do not do sewer line or lateral work. A cleanup company deals with what the backup did inside the house; the pipe itself is a plumber's job or the City's.
What to do if the sewer is backing up
- Stop running water anywhere in the house.
- Keep children and pets away from the affected rooms.
- If the water is near outlets or appliances and you cannot reach the main breaker from a dry spot, have an electrician cut the power.
- Take photos and video before anything is moved or thrown out. FEMA's FloodSmart guidance on documenting damage applies to any claim, not only a flood claim.
- Call your insurer to ask about coverage. Backup cover varies from policy to policy; our insurance page explains how a flood policy treats it.
After the cleanup: water and mold
Once the sewage is out, what is left is a wet structure. It goes through the same drying as any other water damage restoration in Newport News, and if the drying runs late, mold is the next job. Mold work done before the framing is dry has to be done again.
Where the sewage and sewer facts on this page come from
The City of Newport News runs the public sewer, so most rows here are the City's own pages. None of them states where the owner's part of a lateral ends, so neither do we.
| What | Figure or rule | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who clears public sewer stoppages | City stoppage crews investigate and clear sewer stoppages, working on a sixteen-hour-a-day basis | City of Newport News, Sanitary Sewer Operations & Maintenance | |
| Who repairs the public lines | The City's Collector Operations section repairs or replaces broken sanitary sewer mainlines, laterals and manholes | City of Newport News, Sanitary Sewer Operations & Maintenance | |
| Who runs the public system | A Wastewater Division of about 100 personnel operates and maintains the collection and conveyance system | City of Newport News, Wastewater | |
| Sewer backup and flood insurance | Damage from a sewer backup is covered by flood insurance if the backup is a direct result of flooding | FEMA, FloodSmart | |
| Disinfecting after contaminated water | Throw away what cannot be disinfected (wall coverings, cloth, rugs, drywall); clean hard surfaces with soap and water, then 1 cup of bleach per gallon of water | CDC, Floodwater After a Disaster or Emergency |
Sewer backup questions, answered plainly
What is the best way to clean up a sewer backup?
Stop running water in the house, keep everyone out, then remove the waste, cut out and bag the soaked porous materials, clean and disinfect every hard surface, and dry the structure. The CDC's floodwater guidance covers the protection to wear. Anything larger than a small bathroom spill is a job for a crew with the equipment.
Does Lysol disinfect sewage?
A household disinfectant works on a hard surface only after the waste is cleaned off it, and it does nothing for drywall, carpet or insulation that soaked the water up. The CDC's household mix for hard surfaces after contaminated water is 1 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water. Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners.
What neutralizes raw sewage?
Nothing makes it safe where it sits. It has to be physically removed, the affected materials taken out or cleaned, and hard surfaces disinfected, then everything dried so mold does not follow. Our mold remediation page covers what happens when drying comes too late.
What is the most common cause of sewer backup?
A blockage somewhere between the house and the public main is the usual culprit, from grease, wipes or roots. Heavy rain and flooding can overload lines too. The City's sewer operations page explains what its crews check when a resident reports a stoppage.
How much does it cost to clean up a sewer backup?
We found no published Newport News figure for sewage cleanup that we could stand behind, so we give none. The size of the area, how many materials have to be removed and whether contents are affected set the price. Our cost page walks through what an estimate is built from.
Describe the backup in one form
Which drain it came from and how far it spread is enough to start. Sending it is free.