A sewage emergency means foul water is coming back up into your home. It can rise through toilets, sinks, floor drains and manholes. Treat it as a health risk, because sewage can carry germs, and avoid touching it.
First decide whether the problem is in your private drain or in the public sewer. Your private drain runs from the house to your property boundary, and you are responsible for it. Scottish Water runs the public sewer, so call it on 0800 0778 778 if the sewage is flooding from there.
The helpline shows as open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Scottish Water says it usually attends within 4 hours for an internal flood and within 24 hours for an external flood, but severe weather can change this. South Lanarkshire Council says sewage rising through a manhole cover is Scottish Water's job.
Tell Scottish Water as soon as you can about sewage pollution in a river or stream. SEPA also takes pollution reports on 0800 807 060, where a live operator answers Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. If the blockage is in your own drain, send a request and mark it urgent, since the form takes requests all day and night.
Keep out of affected rooms and open windows. Keep children and pets away, and avoid touching the sewage, because it can carry germs.
Do not flush toilets or run taps while the drain is backing up, because more water makes the backup worse. Wait until the blockage is cleared.
Call Scottish Water if the sewage comes from a public sewer. If the cause is your own drain, send an urgent request through the form, since only an engineer can clear it.
Ask what cleaning you need once the cause is fixed, since clearing the drain does not clean the room. Keep photos and a written note of the work for your insurer.
Prices vary because the cause and the amount of sewage differ. Clearing, cleaning and repairs may be separate parts of one job, so ask which the price includes.
Ask for a written quote before substantial work starts, since the scope can change. Ask whether there is a call-out charge, and ask what the quote covers.
Treat it as a health risk, because sewage can carry germs. Keep children and pets away, avoid touching it and wash your hands well afterwards. Ask a professional to clean the affected areas.
Stay out of the affected rooms and open windows to let air in. Do not flush toilets or run taps, since this adds to the backup. If sewage is near electrics, stay clear and ask a qualified electrician for advice.
Scottish Water runs the public sewer, so call it on 0800 0778 778. An engineer can look at your own drain to rule out a private blockage, while Scottish Water deals with its own pipe. Call your insurer too.