San Antonio, TX
Sewage Backup Cleanup in San Antonio, TX
Water coming up through a toilet, shower or floor drain needs two jobs: clearing the line and cleaning the house. Call to speak with an independent contractor that handles sewage cleanup in San Antonio.
Clearing the line and cleaning the house
SAWS lays out the order on its Plumbing Backed Up page: have a licensed plumber run a camera through your line and clear any blockage on your side, call a remediation company if you need cleanup, and call SAWS at 210-704-7297 so a crew can inspect the main. If the blockage turns out to be in the SAWS main, SAWS clears and repairs it.
SAWS also states that it will not pay to repair or replace damaged property. The cleanup inside the house is the homeowner's job to arrange, and sewage is the dirtiest water a contractor deals with. Carpet, pad and drywall it soaked are normally removed and bagged, and hard surfaces are cleaned and disinfected before drying starts.
SAWS
Your side or SAWS's side?
| Finding | Who clears it | Reimbursement |
|---|---|---|
| Blockage on your side of the main | Your licensed plumber | None from SAWS. |
| Blockage in the right-of-way, street, alley or easement | Your plumber locates it; SAWS inspects its main | Possible: normal locating charges, with a plumber's receipt and the green-paint X mark. |
| Blockage or collapse in the SAWS main | SAWS | SAWS clears and repairs its line. It does not pay for damage inside the home. |
Source: SAWS, Plumbing Backed Up? Allow four to six weeks for a reimbursement request.
Checklist
While you wait
Stop using water
Every flush or shower adds to the backup until the line is cleared.
Keep people and pets out
Close doors to affected rooms. Children and anyone with a weak immune system should stay away.
No household fans
Fans can spread contaminated droplets. Leave air movement to the contractor's setup.
Note what the plumber finds
Where the blockage was and whether it is on your side matters for any SAWS reimbursement.
Photograph the damage
Before cleanup, for your records and your insurer.
Ask about coverage
Sewer and drain backup is often an optional add-on in Texas policies, not part of the base form.
Questions
Sewage Backup Cleanup, answered
Will SAWS pay my plumber?
Only in narrow cases. Under SAWS's Sewer Lateral Reimbursement Program the blockage has to be in the right-of-way, street, alley or easement, marked by your plumber with a green-paint X, and SAWS reimburses the plumber's normal charges for locating it. A blockage on your side is not reimbursed (SAWS).
Is sewage backup covered by insurance?
The Texas Department of Insurance lists backup of sewers or drains as an optional endorsement you can buy (TDI guide). Check your declarations page or ask your agent.
Can I clean it up myself?
Small, contained spills on hard floors can be handled with gloves, boots and disinfectant. Once sewage reaches carpet, drywall or more than one room, the EPA advises bringing in a professional experienced with contaminated water.
Services
Other kinds of damage
- Water Damage RestorationAny leak that soaked floors, walls or cabinets: water out, structure dried, materials replaced.
- Water Extraction & Structural DryingStanding water pulled out, then air movers and dehumidifiers until the readings say dry.
- Burst & Frozen PipesA pipe split in a freeze or a fitting let go: stop the water, then dry the wall cavities and floors.
- Flash Flood & Flooded Home CleanupRising water came in under doors: muddy floors, wet drywall and contaminated contents.
- Storm & Roof Leak Water DamageStains spreading on the ceiling or wet attic insulation after a storm.
- Water Heater & Appliance LeaksWater heater, washer, dishwasher, fridge line or AC drain: find the wet areas and dry them.
- Fire & Smoke DamageSoot, smoke odor and the water used to put the fire out.
- Mold Remediation (Licensed)Mold after a leak: referrals to firms with a Texas mold remediation license.
Leak, flood, smoke or mold
Talk it through with a San Antonio restoration contractor
Say where the water came from, which rooms it reached and roughly when it started. The contractor on the line can tell you what an inspection would look at and what they charge for it.
Water where it shouldn't be? Make one call.
The call goes to an independent restoration contractor that takes work in your part of Bexar County or the nearby suburbs.
Call (210) 750-1322Calls may be recorded for quality. How the line is paid: referral disclosure. What is kept: privacy.