- Turn off any water appliances (washing machines, dishwasher) that are on. If this stops the backup, contact a plumber.
- If the backup continues, please call 704-824-3518, select option #1 for Customer Service.
- If the sewage backup occurs because of a blockage in a public manhole or public sewer pipe, the City of Lowell will assist. Crews will locate and remove the blockage in the public sewer main or the City maintained portion of the customer’s connection. If the backup occurs within your home or business’s private internal plumbing, however, the City cannot assume responsibility for the blockage or the necessary repairs. Contact a plumbing contractor to make any repairs.
Backwater Valve
It is possible to prevent sewage backups with a plumbing fixture called a backwater valve. Backwater valves have been required in some homes by the North Carolina State Plumbing Code since the early 1930’s. If you have plumbing fixtures that are below the top of the first upstream manhole, state regulations require that you have a backwater valve.
To find out if your property has a backwater valve or requires one, please contact a professional plumber or contractor.