Sewage Backup Checklist

What to do:

In case of a sewage backup in your home, follow this brief set of instructions to respond promptly and safely to the situation.

• Keep people and pets away from the affected area(s).

• Contact ECCV’s utilities department at 303.698.3800 for an on-call representative to begin investigation of the cause of the incident.

• Contact a restoration and cleaning company to remove the sewage, contaminants, and moisture, and help ensure the area is properly cleaned, disinfected, and deodorized. Do not attempt to clean or remove items from the area yourself.

• If you intend to file a claim, contact your homeowner’s insurance provider as soon as practical.

• Consider notifying your immediate neighbors of the sewage backup, which may have also affected their homes.

• If you had recent plumbing work, contact your plumber or contractor and inform them of this incident.

Restoration Companies

ECCV does not recommend the following companies, but has listed three contacts for your convenience. Additional companies are listed under “Water Damage Restoration” in your local phone book.

Colorado Catastrophe 303.333.0392 or 1-888-88-COCAT

Northstar Fire and Water Restoration 303.871.8558

Serv Pro 303.576.6868

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes a sewage backup?

Tree roots, debris, or non-water-soluble substances, such as cooking or motor oil, cat litter, grease or rags dumped into your toilets, sinks or storm-drains can cause clogs in the sewer line, which creates backups into homes immediately upstream of the blockage.

Who is responsible for clean-up and remediation of a backup?

Most sewage backups occur in the service line between ECCV’s main line and the customer’s home, which is the property and responsibility of the customer. If a blockage occurs in the service line, the property owner is responsible for the cost of removing the clog and repairing all damages.

Does my homeowner’s insurance cover remediation of a sewage backup?

Coverage for water backups of sewers or drains is not included in a standard homeowner’s policy, and must be added as an additional endorsement for coverage, generally at a low cost. Your insurance provider will be able to tell you whether your policy is endorsed with this coverage.

How can I prevent sewage backups?

Use sewer lines for wash waters and human wastes only. Do not dump non-water-soluble substances, such

as cooking or motor oil, cat litter, grease or rags, into your toilets, sinks or storm-drains.

If your home was built prior to 1980 or you have large trees on your property, have the sewer service line checked on an annual basis. Some of the older service lines were comprised of clay, not PVC pipe that currently is used, and tree roots will attempt to find water at the service line seams and cause blockages. Contact a local plumber to find out details on how to maintain your service line.

What does ECCV do to prevent sewage backups?

ECCV makes every effort to protect its customers against sewage backups. Under the District’s proactive backup-prevention program launched in 2004, 20 percent of the main lines are camera-inspected for blockages annually, with areas of build-up “jet cleaned” with high-pressure water. Therefore, all lines are inspected about every five years. Our crews also conduct monthly visual inspections of manholes on some sewer lines, and some areas also receive more frequent camera-inspection and jet cleaning.