Sewage Cleanup in Athens, GA, Whether the Backup Is Yours or the County's

Your Line or the County's?

Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities is responsible for the public sewer lines between manholes. The property owner is responsible for the private sewer line from the building out to the main connection. If several neighbors are backing up at once, it may be a public line problem; report it to Public Utilities. If it's just your house, it's usually your line, and a plumber will need to clear or repair it.

Why It Isn't a DIY Job

Sewage-soaked carpet, pad, drywall and insulation can't be cleaned well enough to keep. Bleach on the surface doesn't reach what has soaked in. Proper cleanup needs protective equipment, removal of contaminated materials, disinfection and drying.

How We Clean Up

1. Protect: our crew uses protective gear and keeps the work area separated from the rest of the house.
2. Remove water and solids: pumping and extraction.
3. Remove contaminated materials: carpet, pad, drywall and insulation that the sewage reached.
4. Clean and disinfect: floors, framing and hard surfaces, sometimes more than once.
5. Dry: dehumidifiers and air movers until moisture readings are normal.
6. Rebuild: once surfaces are clean and dry.

We photograph and itemize everything. Sewage backup coverage is often an endorsement rather than standard, so documentation matters.

Older Lines, More Backups

About four in ten Athens homes were built before 1980, per Census estimates, and some districts date back much further; the county's Dearing historic district includes buildings from 1810 to 1910. Older clay or cast-iron lateral lines can crack, shift or fill with roots over time. If backups keep recurring, a camera inspection by a plumber is worth it.

If clean water from a pipe is the issue instead, see burst pipe repair. For our other services, visit the Athens water cleanup crew.