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Fort PierceWater Damage(772) 365-9857
Murky water spreading across a ceramic tile floor in a Florida kitchen

Sewage backup

Sewage backup

Black water carries bacteria. Keep people and pets out of the affected rooms and call before anything is touched.

(772) 365-9857

First moves

  1. Stop using water

    Do not flush or run taps and the washer. Everything you send down adds to the backup.

  2. Keep out

    Block off the room. Children and pets should stay in clean areas.

  3. Find the blockage side

    If several drains back up at once, the problem is probably the main line. If only one does, it may be a branch.

  4. Call the utility if the main may be the cause

    The utilities page says which agency serves which area.

  5. Call for cleanup

    The contractor handles removal of contaminated material and disinfection.

Who owns what

In Port St. Lucie's published service terms, the city's responsibility for gravity sewer service ends at the customer's property line. Fort Pierce Utilities Authority runs its own wastewater system for the city and sections of unincorporated St. Lucie County.

That split matters because a clog in a public main is the utility's to clear, and a clog inside the property line is the owner's. A plumber or the utility can tell which side the blockage sits on.

Why cleanup is different

Sewage is treated as contaminated water. Porous materials it touched, such as carpet, pad and lower drywall, are normally removed instead of dried. Hard surfaces are cleaned and disinfected.

Homeowners policies often exclude backup from sewers and drains unless an endorsement was added. The state's insurance pages explain the endorsement.

Keep reading

Sources

Sources were consulted on November 5, 2026. Agency pages change, so check the source before relying on a detail.

Water is still moving. Make the call.

Dial the number and describe what happened. You are connected with an independent restoration contractor who serves your ZIP code.

(772) 365-9857