HomeMy Public PortalAbout724697Metropolitan St. Louis
Sewer District
2350 Market Street
St. Louis, MO 63103
DEALING
WITH BUILDING
BACKUPS AND
BASEMENT
FLOODS
How your basement gets cleaned is up to you.
Whether you do it yourself or hire a company that
specializes in flooded basement cleanups, be sure to
document your damages and cleanup costs for pos-
sible reimbursement. MSD does not provide cleaning
service after building backups and flooding.
If you choose to hire a
cleaning company
• For private companies that can handle the clean up
for you, check the Yellow Pages under “Fire
and Water Damage Restoration.” MSD is
prohibited from making specific recommendations.
If you will be doing the
clean up yourself
• Follow the safety precautions and clean up
tips in this guide.
HEALTH & SAFETY TIPS
Raw sewage and flood waters contain
bacteria, fecal matter, viruses, and other
hazardous microorganisms that can cause
illness. Touching or walking through
contaminated areas can bring germs into
uncontaminated areas of your home. Children
and pets are especially vulnerable. Minimize
your exposure by following these safety tips:
• Do not enter your basement if the water level
has reached any electrical connection,
extension cord or electrical outlet. Electrical
shock hazards and gas leaks must be assessed
and addressed prior to entering the affected
area. When in doubt, turn off the power supply
to the affected area. Turn off the gas to the
furnace and hot water heater as well.
• Wear proper protective clothing and safety
gear. That includes rubber gloves, rubber boots,
safety goggles and a nose mask.
• If you are cut while working in contaminated
water, contact your doctor.
• Wash your hands frequently. Always wash
before and after bathroom use, before eating,
and immediately after contact with
contaminated water.
• Avoid skin contact with sewer water,
especially cuts and sores.
• Disinfect all areas and equipment that come
in contact with the contaminated water.
A bleach solution of 4 to 8 tablespoons
chlorine bleach to one gallon of water will
remove odors and bacteria. Although an
effective disinfectant, bleach may cause
discoloration.
• Keep children and pets away from
contaminated areas.
• Do not eat or drink anything exposed to sewer
water.
• Keep contaminated items, water, and hands
away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.
PREVENTING BUILDING BACKUPS
Building backups are most likely to occur during
heavy rainfall. Here are simple things you can do
to help prevent them.
• Have the sewer line that connects your home to the
sewer main inspected and cleaned regularly
by a licensed plumbing contractor.
• Flush root eliminator products down your toilet to
help prevent tree roots from growing in your sewer.
These products are available at most
hardware stores.
• Avoid flushing diapers, feminine hygiene products and
materials other than toilet paper down your toilet.
• Properly dispose of leaves and grass clippings to pre-
vent them from washing into storm sewers, causing
blockages and possible flooding.
• Never dump oil, paint, grease, or any hazardous
chemicals into a stormwater inlet, sanitary sewer
drain, or other sewer structure.
• Never pipe a sump pump, downspout or driveway
drain into a sanitary sewer line.
• Properly grade your yard away from your home.
GOT SEWER PROBLEMS?
Emergency Sewer Issues: 314-768-6260
For non-emergency sewer issues:
CustomerSvc@stlmsd.com
Please contact MSD if:
• Sewage backs up into your home through a floor drain.
• You smell sewage outside your home.
• A manhole cover is missing or out of place.
• A cave-in or ground settlement develops in your yard
or street near a sanitary or storm sewer.
• The storm sewers along your street need to be
cleaned or repaired.
When the issue is urgent, we will send a maintenance
crew to your home, usually within a few hours.
Urgent situations include raw sewage found inside
or outside of the house, missing manhole covers, and
flooded streets or yards.
During especially heavy rainfall, we may receive
hundreds of phone calls and must prioritize our
response according to the immediate threats to our
community’s health and safety.
Because of our limited resources, it may take from a
few hours to a few days before a crew visits your home.
We also follow up on reports of non-urgent cave-ins
and settlements, typically within a few weeks.
BUILDING BACKUP PREVENTION PROGRAM
For homeowners with a history of building backups as
a result of MSD issues, MSD offers a special Sewer
Separation Program. Through this program, MSD
pays for modifications to a property’s plumbing to
protect against future backups, and provides
ongoing maintenance and repair of installed devices.
These modifications might include:
Backflow device/check valve -- If a backflow device
is installed in your yard to prevent sewage from
backing up in your private line, MSD will clean and
inspect it periodically to ensure it remains in proper
working order.
Private pump station system -- If a private pump
station is installed, a private contractor will conduct
an annual inspection and maintenance check to ensure
it remains in proper working order.
Emergency repair services -- MSD will provide
emergency repair services for customers with a
backflow device or private pump station we have
installed. These customers are asked to contact MSD’s
Customer Care Center for emergency service, and a
service crew will be dispatched to resolve the issue.
Customers are responsible for a $100 deductible
every time a crew is dispatched to the property
outside of ordinary maintenance inspections. The
charge will be added to the customer’s next bill.
MSD covers all other costs for repairs we make.
Note: MSD will not pay for repairs that are the result
of modifications or discharges of unacceptable waste
materials made by the homeowner that affect a
device’s operation. MSD does not reimburse for
services provided by private plumbers or those not
initiated by MSD’s Customer Care Center.
For more information, call: 314-768-6260
Brochure Available in Multiple Languages
@yourmsd yourmsd
Brochure Available in Multiple Languages
HOW TO CLEANUP AFTER ABUILDING BACK UP
You can significantly minimize the
damage to your property and personal belongings
by following these basic cleaning guidelines.
See Health & Safety Tips For
Additional Precautions.
Step 1: Assemble cleaning supplies.
• Rubber gloves, rubber boots
• Eye goggles, nose mask
• Trash bags
• Rags, paper towels
• Mop, pail, broom, hose
• Cleaning & disinfectant products
• Shop vacuum
Step 2: Remove furnishing and personal items from the affected area.
Raw sewage and flood waters contains illness-causing
contaminants. Absorbent materials, such as carpets,
upholstery and mattresses are at high risk for mold
growth and usually cannot be saved. Hard,
non-absorbent goods, including appliances, can
sometimes be salvaged if they have not been
submerged. But they can pose serious shock hazards
if not completely dried. It is better to be safe than
worry when choosing what to keep and what to
discard.
Should always be thrown away
• Carpeting, padding, rugs, flooring
• Upholstered furniture, mattresses, pillows
• Toys, stuffed animals
• Medicine, medical supplies
• Cosmetics
• Paper products
• Food
May be salvageable
• Clothing, shoes
• Hardwood furniture
• Appliances
• Irreplaceable photographs
• Bedding, sheets
STEP 3:
Clean and
disinfect one
room at a time
Use two buckets for cleaning.
• Use one bucket for cleaning
solution and another bucket for
clean rinse water.
• Rinse your mop, sponge, or rags in the clean rinse
water and wring it dry.
• Re-wet your mop in the cleaning solution.
• Replace the clean rinse water often.
Disinfect to kill germs, mildew, and odor.
• Apply disinfectant solution to the room or item.
• Allow sufficient contact and drying time.
Cleaning products:
• Dish washing liquid for lightly soiled items.
• Laundry detergent for heavier soiled items.
Disinfectant products:
• Use a mixture of bleach and hot water (4 to 8 tablespoons
of bleach to 1 gallon of water) to remove odor and bacteria.
• Many household products are capable of disinfecting
surfaces. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions
on the product label.
Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household chemicals. This can create a poisonous gas.
STEP 4: Ventilate or
dehumidify the
house until it is
completely dry.
• Open exterior doors and windows.
• Open interior doors and cabinet doors.
• Circulate air using several box fans.
• Run a dehumidifier and or air conditioner.
FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE FOR
BUILDING BACKUPS
A sewer can back up in your building for
many reasons. The financial assistance
available to you depends on the cause of
the backup:
MSD Issues
• Overcharged Sewer Line- If excessive rain falls in
a short timeframe, it can fill the sewer line so much
that it can’t hold anymore water. If sewer lines
discharge into your basement as a result, MSD will
reimburse up to $3,000 -- with a $100 deductible --
to cover damage that occurs. Because damages may
exceed this amount, MSD recommends homeowners
obtain additional coverage through their insurance
company.
• Blocked Sewer Line- If a sewer line collapses
or is blocked by tree roots, or other debris that
has washed into the sewer, it can cause a building
backup. If this is the cause, MSD will reimburse the
homeowner for the adjusted losses.
Non MSD Issues
• Lateral line problems -- The most common cause of
backups is a blockage in your private lateral line --
the sewer line that runs from your home to the main
sewer line. These sewers can be damaged by items
flushed down a toilet or drain, tree roots, grease, and
other blockages. The homeowner is responsible for
the maintenance and repair of this line.
• Overland Flooding- Water can enter your home
through doors, windows, and/or cracks in the
foundation following a heavy rain. Damage caused
by overland flooding are the responsibility of the
homeowner.
To be eligible for coverage,
contact MSD at
(314) 768-6260 within
30 days of the backup.
HOW DO I DOCUMENT
MY LOSSES?
Take pictures and/or video of the basement
before cleaning. Also photograph all damaged
items, and write a description of each, including
when they were purchased and their approximate
cost. After fully documenting your losses, throw
away any items that are damaged or might cause
mold or mildew.
Will I be reimbursed for the damage, repair, and
cleanup costs?
Whether MSD or your private insurance will re-
imburse you for your losses depends on the cause
of the flooding.
If the problem is caused by a public sewer line:
• If a backup is caused by a public sewer line, an
MSD crew will make the necessary repairs to
the sewer. They won’t need to enter your home
or business to do it.
• MSD will arrange for an insurance adjuster to
visit your home and verify your damages. The
adjuster will address financial assistance.
If the problem is caused by the line from your
home to the street:
• These lines, known as lateral sewers, are your
private property. MSD’s insurance programs will
not cover backups caused by a faulty residential
lateral line. Contact your insurance agent to
learn more about the coverage you may have.
• Many municipalities also offer lateral line
insurance to residents to help offset the cost
of lateral repairs. For additional information,
contact the Lateral Line Insurance Program
sponsored by St. Louis City at (314) 647-3111,
St. Louis County at (314) 615-8427 or your
governing municipality.
• Most homeowner’s insurance only covers
damage from water that backs up through the
sewer, drains or sump pumps if you obtain a
special building backup rider. MSD encourages
homeowners to verify their coverage with their
insurance company and consider adding this
rider. Flood insurance typically excludes backups
from sewer and drain backups.