Sewage backup cleanup in Brookings

What to do right now

1. Find out if it is just your house. If neighbors have backups too, the problem may be in the city main. Call Brookings Municipal Utilities at 605-692-6325.
2. If only your house is affected, the blockage is probably in your own service line. Call a licensed plumber or sewer contractor to clear it.
3. Photograph everything before cleanup, including the floor drain and the water line on walls and stored items.
4. Call your insurer and ask specifically whether the policy has a sewer backup endorsement.

Call about a sewage backup

Who owns the sewer line

Brookings Municipal Utilities maintains about 117 miles of sewer main and five lift stations, and its wastewater treatment plant about two miles south of town was built in 1980, upgraded from 2013 to 2015, and discharges treated water to the Big Sioux River (BMU). BMU says property owners own their private sewer service line all the way to the main, including the part under the street.

That means a root intrusion, a sag or a collapsed section in the lateral between the house and the street is the owner's repair. The South Dakota Plumbing Commission licenses plumbers and sewer and water contractors and installers; its licensing office is at 605-773-3429 (SD Plumbing Commission). A camera inspection of the line after the cleanup can show whether the backup is likely to happen again.

Why sewage cleanup is different

The IICRC classifies sewage as Category 3 water, the most contaminated class (IICRC). Sewage can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites, and anything porous that it soaks is generally not salvageable. A restoration provider will typically:

1. Set up containment so contaminated material is not tracked through the house.
2. Extract the water and solids and bag them for disposal.
3. Remove porous materials that the sewage reached, such as carpet, pad, drywall, insulation and cardboard boxes.
4. Clean and disinfect concrete, framing and hard surfaces.
5. Dry the area with dehumidifiers and air movers, then confirm with moisture readings.

Speed still matters. The EPA recommends drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth (EPA), and a basement closed up with sewage in it will smell and grow mold quickly.

Protective gear for a small cleanup

If the backup is small and on a hard floor, wear rubber gloves, boots and eye protection, keep the area ventilated, and wash hands thoroughly afterward. Throw out anything porous the water touched. Do not use a household vacuum on sewage. If the backup reached carpet, finished walls or a large area, call a provider.

Insurance

The South Dakota Division of Insurance lists sewer backup among the exclusions of the common HO-3 homeowners form (SD Division of Insurance). Its homeowners page says water from a backup of the sewage system may be covered under some policies and recommends reviewing coverage with an agent (SD Division of Insurance). The difference is usually an endorsement added to the policy.

For the claim, the division advises photographing the damage before temporary repairs, keeping receipts, avoiding permanent repairs until the insurer inspects, and asking for any denial in writing with the policy language it relies on (SD Division of Insurance).

What it may cost

Angi puts black water cleanup at about $7.50 per square foot, and cites $2,800 or more for two feet of sewage in a basement (Angi). These are national figures, not quotes. Line repair by a plumber is separate.

Call a restoration provider