A sewage emergency is one of the most unpleasant situations a property owner can face. When foul drainage fails — from a blockage, a collapsed pipe, or a pump failure — raw sewage can back up through toilets, sinks, and floor drains. Since sewage carries harmful bacteria and parasites, professional cleanup matters for health as much as convenience.
The request form for a sewage emergency stays open around the clock. An engineer brings protective gear, pumps, and jetting kit to contain and remove the sewage. They then clear the drainage failure behind it and clean the affected area.
Where a collapsed pipe or broken pump caused the backup, ask your engineer about repair options to restore normal function. If the fault sits in the public sewer, Northumbrian Water gets involved too. Because every hour of delay adds to the contamination, mark the request as urgent.
Send our 24/7 emergency quote form. Sewage emergencies get the highest priority, so we dispatch an engineer with full containment and clearing equipment.
On arrival, we put on protective gear and isolate the sewage source where possible. We then pump out standing sewage using heavy-duty equipment.
We identify and fix the cause of the backup, whether that means clearing a blockage with jetting equipment, an emergency pipe repair, or a pump replacement. This restores normal drainage flow.
We clean and sanitise affected areas to reduce health risks. We also advise on further deep cleaning, provide a report for your insurer, and suggest measures to help prevent it happening again.
The cost of a sewage emergency callout depends on how much contamination there is and the drainage work needed, since containment, clearance, and cleaning each take time. Request a fixed-price quote online — we confirm costs as quickly as possible once we've assessed the situation, and there is no call-out fee.
Yes. Raw sewage carries harmful bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella, along with viruses and parasites. Avoid touching it directly, and keep children and pets well away. Don't try to clean it up yourself — call in a professional to remove and clean the area safely.
Stay out of the affected rooms and open windows to let air in. If sewage is near sockets or switches, turn off the power at the fuse box. Don't flush toilets or run taps, since this can make the backup worse. Towels at doorways can help stop it spreading to other rooms.
If the backup starts in the public sewer rather than your own drainage, Northumbrian Water handles the repair. We can tell you which one it is. If it's a public sewer issue, we can still provide emergency containment while you contact them.