If sewage or dirty wastewater is coming up through a toilet, tub, shower, floor drain, or several plumbing fixtures, stop ordinary drain troubleshooting. The immediate job is to stop adding water to the drainage system and keep people and pets away from the affected area.
If only one sink, tub, or shower is draining slowly and there is no sewage or multi-fixture backup, use the localized clogged-drain guide instead.
Stop Using Water in the Home
When wastewater is actively backing up, stop flushing toilets, running faucets, taking showers, doing laundry, and running the dishwasher. Additional water use can add more wastewater to a blocked drainage system.
Keep people and pets away from the affected area.
Avoid Contact With Sewage
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises avoiding contact with sewage that has backed up into a home because it may contain harmful pathogens. Do not treat a significant sewage backup like an ordinary spill.
Do not remove a sewer cleanout cap, attempt to open the sewer line, or perform a significant sewage cleanup yourself.
You can review the EPA's sewage-backup safety guidance for additional public-health information.
What to Tell PMI James River
From a safe location, tell us:
- which toilet, tub, shower, sink, or floor drain the wastewater is coming from;
- whether more than one fixture is affected;
- whether water use in the home has stopped;
- approximately when the backup began;
- whether there has been recent heavy rain or a known public sewer issue; and
- whether wastewater has reached flooring, walls, cabinets, carpet, or other materials.
Photos are useful when they can be taken without entering or contacting the affected area.
Report an Active Sewage Backup Promptly
Use the emergency-maintenance routing on Resident Maintenance when sewage is actively entering the home. Once you are in a safe location, also provide the work-order details through the resident portal.
For other plumbing symptoms, return to Plumbing & Water Problems.
Published: September 2, 2026
