Cobb County Sewage Backup: Who Pays, You or the County?

Few things are worse than walking into a basement and smelling sewage. The next question is usually "whose fault is this, and who pays?" In Cobb County, the answer depends on where the blockage is: in the county's public sewer main, or in the private line that runs from your house to that main. Here's how responsibility works, who to call and what to do while you sort it out.

Who is responsible for a sewage backup in Cobb County?

Cobb County Water System maintains the public sewer mains; homeowners are responsible for sewer pipes on their own property, including the private lateral to the main.

Cobb County Water System (CCWS) owns and maintains more than 2,600 miles of sewer collection mains across the county. Everything from those mains into your house, including the pipe that runs under your yard, called the sewer lateral, belongs to you. CCWS also notes that some county lines run through private property on easements, and it can check whether a county line is contributing to a problem on your property.

Quick Answers

County responsibility

public sewer mains and county lines in easements

Homeowner responsibility

plumbing inside the home and the private sewer line on the property

Emergency number

Cobb County Water System Emergency Dispatch, 770-419-6201

Insurance first

the county generally points homeowners to their own insurance for damage inside the home

Coverage tip

many policies need a water backup endorsement for sewer backups

Cleanup

sewage is Category 3 water and needs professional disinfection

How to tell if the problem is yours or the county's

A plumber with a camera can inspect your line and show whether the blockage is on your side. If the line is clear to the main, the county may need to check its side.

Who to call, and when

• Sewage in your yard, or a backup you think is in the county main: call Cobb County Water System Emergency Dispatch at 770-419-6201.
• A blockage in your private line: call a plumber.
• Sewage inside your home: call for sewage cleanup right away, because contamination spreads into drywall, carpet and wood quickly.
• Your insurer: start a claim and get a claim number.

What happened to one Acworth family

WSB-TV reported on an Acworth couple whose basement flooded with raw sewage. A county water crew later found a clogged county line, with gravel in the pipe. The contractor had to tear out the lower part of the basement walls, and a county spokesman said the couple should file a claim through their insurance first, then come back to the county. Their story shows two things: sewage damage spreads fast in finished basements, and even when the county's line is involved, the insurance path usually starts with your own policy.

The most common cause in Cobb: grease

Cobb County Water System publishes reports when sewer lines overflow, and grease shows up again and again as the cause, including at addresses in Acworth on streets like Waters Edge Lane and Brookstone Drive. Grease poured down kitchen drains cools, hardens and builds up inside pipes until wastewater can't get through. Other common causes:

• Wipes, even "flushable" ones
• Tree roots growing into older laterals
• Paper towels and feminine products
• Sagging or cracked private lines
• Heavy rain overloading the system
• Keeping grease and wipes out of the drains is the single best way to prevent a backup.

Does insurance cover a sewer backup?

Many standard homeowners policies exclude sewer and drain backup unless you've added a water backup endorsement. It's often an inexpensive add-on, and it's worth checking your policy for it before you need it. If you have the coverage, document everything:

• Photos and video of the backup and every affected room
• The plumber's findings, especially where the blockage was
• A list of damaged and removed items
• Cleanup documentation and moisture readings

What to do right now if sewage is in your home

• Stop using water: no flushing, showers, laundry or dishwasher.
• Keep children and pets away from the area.
• Don't touch sewage without gloves and boots.
• Turn off HVAC if returns are in the affected area.
• Photograph everything.
• Call for sewage cleanup.
• Sewage cleanup involves containment, removal of contaminated carpet, pad and drywall, disinfection and drying. See sewage backup cleanup in Acworth

After county repairs: what's normal

Cobb County Water System notes that a temporary odor can occur after sewer repairs as the system settles, and suggests running water in all fixtures to refill drain traps. If sewage shows up in your yard or basement after repairs, the county asks residents to call Emergency Dispatch right away, since that can signal a bigger problem.

FAQs

Sewage in your Acworth home?

Stop using water and call. Sewage cleanup crews are dispatched immediately, 24/7, across Acworth 30101 and 30102. Call (470) 672-2095.