Sewage coming up in a tub, a shower or a floor drain is more than a plumbing problem. The City of Tampa says sanitary sewage is a health hazard that can carry infectious diseases such as hepatitis and salmonella. The first calls matter, and so does what happens to the floor afterward.
Key takeaways
- The city asks residents with a sewer backup to call so Wastewater Department technicians can check whether the blockage is in the city's pipes.
- The city says sanitary sewage is a health hazard that can carry infectious diseases such as hepatitis and salmonella.
- A sewage backup is Category 3 water: porous materials it touches come out, and surfaces are cleaned and treated.
- After Hurricane Helene, two city pumping stations were down and overflowing on September 27, 2024, and the city asked residents to reduce water use.
- Some addresses with a Tampa label sit outside the city limits, so the first call should confirm who serves the property.
What a sewage backup looks like
Sewage usually rises in the lowest drain in the house. That can be a tub, a shower, a floor drain or a toilet that bubbles when another fixture drains.
The first signs are easy to mistake for a slow drain. The smell and the color of the water give it away.
- Gurgling in a toilet or tub when the washer or a sink drains.
- Dark water coming up in the lowest tub, shower or floor drain.
- A sewer smell that grows in one bathroom or the laundry room.
- Several drains slowing at once instead of just one.
Who to call first
Call the city's Wastewater Department
For a sewer backup, the city asks residents to call so Wastewater Department technicians can check whether the blockage is in the city's pipes. The Collections Division maintains the city's gravity and force main sewer pipes and about 30,000 manholes.
A call to the city takes the guesswork out of the first step. If the blockage is in the city's pipes, the city's technicians are the ones who can reach it.
If the address is not in the city
Not every address that says Tampa is inside the city limits. The city notes that nearby areas and unincorporated parts of Hillsborough County can share similar address labels.
If there is any doubt, ask the city who serves the property before assuming the call belongs there.
Why sewage is Category 3
Category 3 is the most contaminated class of water. Sewage carries bacteria and viruses, and anything porous that it touched cannot be made clean again.
That is why a restoration team starts with containment and protective gear, not with fans.
- Carpet, pad and drywall that sewage touched are removed and bagged.
- Wood and laminate flooring that absorbed it are usually replaced.
- Hard surfaces are washed and treated with an EPA registered antimicrobial.
- Drains and fixtures are cleaned as part of the work.
What cleanup involves
Sewage backup cleanup follows a set order. The area is sealed, the water is removed and the contaminated material goes out before anything is dried.
Standing sewage comes out through water extraction, using pumps and truck mounted units, and then the floor and the wall bottoms are cleaned and treated.
- Containment and air scrubbers keep contamination in the work area.
- Extraction removes the standing water.
- Removal takes out porous materials by Category 3 rules.
- Antimicrobial treatment and drying finish the job, with readings logged every day.
Drying after the cleaning
Once the contaminated material is out and the surfaces are treated, structural drying takes over. LGR dehumidifiers and air movers run with the house closed, and moisture meters show how far the water traveled.
Wall bottoms and subfloors dry slowly, so readings, not appearance, decide when new flooring can go in.
- Baseboards and wall bottoms are checked after removal, because sewage wicks upward.
- Subfloors and slabs are dried until they match a dry reference.
- Odors that remain after drying usually mean something porous was missed.
After a storm: pumping stations and reduced water use
After Hurricane Helene flooded parts of the city, two wastewater pumping stations were down and overflowing on September 27, 2024. One of them was processing every customer's wastewater, and the city asked residents to reduce water use.
Drinking water was safe.
The Krauss and Bayshore pumping stations were the two named. The episode shows how a storm can load the whole system at once, which raises the chance of a backup in low homes.
- Run less water during and right after a major storm when the city asks.
- Skip the washing machine and the dishwasher until the system is back to normal.
- Watch the lowest drains in the house for the first signs of a backup.
Backups during heavy rain
The city says its most frequent flooding is localized flooding from rainy season thunderstorms and tropical storms, and that the area's lack of topographic relief makes water drain slowly.
When rain water and a sewage backup meet in the same room, the whole loss is handled as sewage. The water is Category 3, and the cleanup follows the stricter rules.
- Do not assume the water on the floor is only rain, especially if it came up through a drain.
- Keep the call to the city separate from the call for cleanup, so each gets the right details.
- Photograph the drain and the water before anything is moved.
What to avoid
Some common reactions make a backup worse or put people at risk.
- Do not keep flushing or running water to clear it. More water means more sewage on the floor.
- Do not wade through it barefoot or let children and pets near it.
- Do not mix cleaning chemicals, because the fumes can be dangerous.
- Do not cut into wet drywall without containment, because it spreads contamination through the house.
- Do not run the AC until the area is sealed and cleaned.
Documenting the loss
A written record helps whoever repairs the house afterward. Photos of the backup, the date and the call to the city all belong in it.
The restoration team adds the readings and a list of removed materials, so the rebuild starts from a clear scope.
Questions
Who do I call if sewage backs up in my Tampa home?
The city asks residents to call so Wastewater Department technicians can check whether the blockage is in the city's pipes. A restoration team handles the cleanup inside the house.
Is a sewage backup dangerous?
The city says sanitary sewage is a health hazard that can carry infectious diseases such as hepatitis and salmonella, so contact should be avoided.
Can wet carpet be saved after a sewage backup?
No. Carpet and pad that sewage touched are removed because they cannot be made clean again.
Does a Tampa address always mean the home is in the city?
No. The city notes that nearby areas and unincorporated parts of Hillsborough County can share similar address labels.
Why did the city ask for less water use after Helene?
Two wastewater pumping stations were down and overflowing on September 27, 2024, so the city asked residents to reduce water use until they were back.
How long does sewage backup cleanup take?
It depends on how far the sewage spread and what it soaked. Removal comes first, then several days of drying, with daily readings deciding when the work is done.
Is a backup during a thunderstorm handled differently?
If sewage came up with the rain water, the whole loss is treated as sewage and follows Category 3 rules.