FAQs • Middletown, OH • CivicEngage

Recently I have been able to smell sewer odors inside my house, but there is no odor coming from the outside, how do I correct this?: The most common cause of sewer odors inside a residence is a dry drain trap. If you have a basement you should check the floor drains to see if the trap is dry. It may be necessary to pour water into the drain if in fact the trap appears to be dry. Sometimes when a drain has not been used for a while the water in the drain trap evaporates. This condition is basically an open pipe to the sewer main. Another common problem is the vent stack located on the roof of your house. Sometimes the vent gets clogged with leaves thereby cutting off the airflow that ventilates the drain system in your house.

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Water & Sewer Maintenance

1. Who should I call if the sewer backs up into my basement?: Call the Maintenance Division at 513-425-1896 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you have a problem after hours or on a weekend call the Water Treatment Plant at 513-425-7781, they will dispatch a sewer maintenance crew to assess the problem. If the problem is in the City's main line they will take immediate action to clear the blockage. If the main line is not obstructed, the crew will advise you on how to solve the problem.

2. I recently saw rats go into a storm inlet, who do I call to handle the situation?: Call the Maintenance Division at 513-425-1896 and they will dispense rat bait. When calling, please be as specific as possible concerning the exact location of the problem.

3. We have recently had a problem with sewer odors in our neighborhood, is there anything that can be done about this?: Usually this problem occurs in areas served by combination sewers (combination sewers carry both storm and sanitary flows). During periods of dry weather, the flow in these sewers decreases and creates a condition where odors occur and escape through storm inlets. In recent years the Sewer Maintenance Division has taken a proactive approach to handling this problem by flushing and de-odorizing known problem areas. If you experience this problem please call the Maintenance Division at 425-1896 or you may submit an online Request for Service form.

4. How do I find out if my sewer is in a combination area?: You may call the Maintenance Division at 513-425-1896 for information concerning your service. Middletown has 3 sewer types. Sanitary sewers carry only flows from residential and commercial customers, storm sewers carry only storm water runoff, and combination sewers carry both sanitary and storm water.

5. The storm inlet in front of my house is stopped up causing high water in the street, whom do I call?: Call the Maintenance Division at 513-425-1897, or submit the online Request for Service.

6. My plumber says the sewer pipe from my house is broken under the street, who is responsible for repairs?: The property owner is responsible for the maintenance of their sewer lateral from the house to the city sewer main. The City is responsible for any repairs necessary within the public right-of-way. If you have further questions you may call 513-425-1896.

7. Recently I have been able to smell sewer odors inside my house, but there is no odor coming from the outside, how do I correct this?: The most common cause of sewer odors inside a residence is a dry drain trap. If you have a basement you should check the floor drains to see if the trap is dry. It may be necessary to pour water into the drain if in fact the trap appears to be dry. Sometimes when a drain has not been used for a while the water in the drain trap evaporates. This condition is basically an open pipe to the sewer main. Another common problem is the vent stack located on the roof of your house. Sometimes the vent gets clogged with leaves thereby cutting off the airflow that ventilates the drain system in your house.