Sioux City Water Restoration / Sewer and floor drain backups
Sewer and floor drain backups in Sioux City
When sewage comes up through the basement floor drain, the first thing to sort out is whether the blockage is in the city's main or in your own line. In Sioux City there is a quick way to tell, and the city will check its side at no charge, any hour of the day.
The city's test for whose line it is
The City of Sioux City gives homeowners a simple way to read a backup:
- If water only comes up when you use water in the house, the blockage is most likely in your own service line.
- If it keeps coming or keeps rising when nobody is using water, it is most likely a blockage in the city main.
Either way, you can call the city's Underground Utilities Division at 712-279-6164. They will come out and check the sewer main free of charge, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. If they find the blockage is in the private service line, fixing it is the property owner's job, which usually means a plumber or a drain cleaning company.
After a backup, the city also runs a camera through its main to look for the cause. Ask what they found and write it down, along with the date and who you talked to.
Want a rough idea of the cost first? Answer five short questions for a ballpark range.
See what it might costWhy basements here back up
Most backups in a private line come from roots, grease, or a sag or break in an old pipe. About a third of the homes in Sioux City were built before 1940, according to the Census Bureau's 2024 survey, and houses that old often still have clay or cast iron sewer lines. Roots find the joints in clay pipe, and cast iron rusts and scales up inside.
Sioux City keeps its storm sewers separate from its sanitary sewers. Rain from the streets goes to the creeks and rivers, and sewage goes to the treatment plant. A sump pump or a downspout tied into the sanitary line adds rain water to a pipe that wasn't built for it, right when everyone else's line is busy too. When you see the city smoke testing on your street, that is part of how it finds those connections.
A cleanout that overflows into the yard
If your sewer line has a cleanout in the city right-of-way or a private manhole, a blockage in your line can push sewage out on top of the ground. The city treats that as an illegal discharge. It will leave a notice, and if it isn't corrected, the city can shut off water service to the property. Get a plumber out the same day.
How the crew cleans a basement
Water that came up a floor drain is Category 3, and the cleanup treats it as sewage even if it looks clear. The crew pumps out what is standing and wears protective gear while it works. Carpet, pad, and anything soft it touched come out. Drywall and paneling get cut above the wet line, and the wall cavity behind them gets cleaned and treated. Concrete and block get cleaned and disinfected, then the basement is dried and metered like any other water job.
Storage is usually the biggest loss in a Sioux City basement. Cardboard boxes on the floor soak up sewage fast. Anything porous in them is usually thrown out. Hard plastic, metal, and glass can often be cleaned.
Keeping it from happening again
A plumber can run a camera down your line and show you whether roots or a break caused it. Some homeowners also have a backwater valve put in, which closes when sewage tries to flow back toward the house. It needs to be installed right and checked once in a while.
Request help
This page is a request form, not a restoration contractor.
Questions
Will the city check the sewer main for free?
Yes. The Underground Utilities Division checks the main free of charge 24 hours a day. Call 712-279-6164.
Can I clean a small backup myself?
A small amount on bare concrete, with boots, gloves, and a disinfectant, yes. If it reached carpet, drywall, or stored belongings, have a crew handle it.
Does homeowners insurance cover a floor drain backup?
Often only if the policy has a sewer or water backup endorsement. Check your policy or ask your agent.