Sewer Backups in Suwanee: Who Maintains the Lateral, the Cleanout and the Backwater Valve

The pieces of a sewer connection

The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources manages and maintains the publicly owned water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure in the county. The pipe that leaves a house and meets the public sewer is a separate piece, and it has its own owner.

When something fails, the first task is working out which piece it was. That tells the household who handles the repair and what records matter.

Stormwater runs in a separate system, so a clogged storm drain in the street is a different problem from a sewer backup in the house.

• The public sewer main, managed by Gwinnett County
• The cleanout at the right-of-way, which the County maintains
• The private sewer lateral, maintained and operated by the property owner
• A second cleanout closer to the home, which belongs to the owner
• A sanitary backwater valve where one is required, maintained by the owner

The backwater valve rule

A backwater valve is a one-way gate in the sewer pipe. It lets wastewater out and keeps sewage from coming back in.

An owner who has a valve should know where it is and whether its access cover is clear. A valve that is buried, painted over or blocked with debris cannot be checked or serviced.

What the code requires

Georgia plumbing code requires a sanitary backwater valve between the home and the public sewer when the lowest plumbing fixture is below the next upstream manhole. The homeowner maintains the valve.

What happens when the valve is missing

If a required backwater valve is missing, Gwinnett County is not responsible for damage from a sewage backup in the main.

That makes the valve a question worth asking before a backup, and not after.

What this means for a lower-level bathroom or drain

A bathroom, laundry sink or floor drain that sits below the next upstream manhole is the situation the code is written for. When the main fills, sewage looks for the lowest opening, and that is often a floor drain or a shower.

A basement flooding cleanup follows the same pattern whether the water came from a storm or from the sewer: pump it out, remove what cannot be cleaned and dry the rest. Sewage adds contamination to every step.

A plumber can say whether a fixture sits below the next upstream manhole and whether a valve is already in the pipe run. That answer is worth having before the next heavy use of the sewer.

• Sewage coming up in the lowest tub, shower or floor drain
• Gurgling when a washer drains or a toilet is flushed
• Water backing up in more than one fixture at once

Maintenance steps Gwinnett County advises

Gwinnett County advises owners on keeping the lateral in good shape. The steps are simple and take little time.

• Locate the lateral cleanout on the property
• Keep its cap in good condition
• Have the lateral inspected by a plumber
• Avoid planting deep-rooted trees or shrubs near the lateral

One drain or the whole house

How many fixtures are affected points to where the blockage sits. A slow tub or sink is usually a local clog, while several fixtures backing up together points toward the lateral or the main.

That distinction matters because the lateral belongs to the owner and the main belongs to the County.

• One slow drain: usually a clog in that fixture
• Several slow drains: a clog in the lateral is more likely
• Sewage in the lowest drain when upstairs fixtures run: the lateral or main is blocked
• Neighbors with the same problem: the main may be involved

The part of Suwanee in Forsyth County

Suwanee extends into southeastern Forsyth County, and some addresses with a Suwanee mailing address lie in unincorporated Gwinnett or Forsyth County outside the city limits.

The rules above come from sources that describe Gwinnett County. Owners in the Forsyth County part should check with their own utility instead of assuming they apply.

• Check the city limits status of the address before relying on any city or county rule
• Ask the utility named on the bill who maintains the lateral and any valve
• Keep the answer in writing with the records for the home

When a backup has already happened

Sewage is contaminated water, usually called Category 3. A sewage backup cleanup removes the water, takes out porous materials that touched it and cleans and dries what remains.

The overview of sewage backup cleanup shows how that work is staged from extraction to drying.

The water often arrives in one room and spreads under walls and flooring. Moisture readings after extraction show how far it went and what must be opened up.

• Stop using water in the house until the cause is found
• Keep children and pets out of the affected area
• Photograph the damage and the cleanout before anything is moved
• Note whether a backwater valve is present and what condition it is in
• Read the insurance policy for sewer or drain backup wording