More than 1,500 possible sewer backups have been reported to the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati since a major rainstorm July 17, followed by another storm July 21.
"Please do not wait for an MSD investigation to begin cleaning up your home or business," City Manager Sheryl Long said Thursday. "Prompt cleanup can help reduce additional damage and minimize potential health risk."
The MSD website has a customer guide that includes information about how to clean up after a suspected sewer backup.
As of Wednesday evening, MSD had completed about 900 investigations, and determined about 500 reports are eligible for participation in the sewer back-up program; that means MSD will help cover the cost of cleanup and repairing property damage.
"In terms of the immediate response and the cleaning, we have the funding available and we're going to you know move as quickly as we can to get that work completed if they're eligible for our program," said MSD Director Diana Christy. "[For] future claims, we'll be speaking with the county commissioners about funding for that. I know that they are always ready and prepared to authorize funding as needed."
The city and county share jurisdiction over the sewer district, which extends beyond city limits. MSD is a city of Cincinnati department, but the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners has oversight of the budget. That includes setting customer rates and approving spending plans for operations and capital improvements.
This could be one of the most significant sewer backup events in modern history. Rainfall data indicates the city has never experienced this level of intensity; MSD officials are calling it a 1,000-year storm.
What is a sewer backup?
Generally speaking, a sewer backup describes a situation in which human waste that has been flushed down the toilet is pushed back up the pipe in the opposite direction, overflowing into basements through floor drains, toilets, or sinks.
A sewer backup can happen on an individual basis if a pipe collapses or is damaged by a tree root, or when things like grease and "flushable" wipes block the pipe. In these cases, the backup is nearly all human waste. MSD has no legal liability for this kind of backup.
A sewer backup can also occur when rain overwhelms the combined sewer system, which handles human waste and stormwater runoff in the same pipes.
MSD investigates each report to determine if lack of capacity in the sewer system caused the water intrusion; in some cases, it might have been overland flooding, which is not MSD's responsibility.
How to report a sewer backup
If you have water in your basement after a rain storm, MSD officials say you should report it as soon as possible — even if the water goes down quickly.
You can report a sewer backup to MSD 24/7 by calling 513-352-4900 or submitting a form online at msdgc.org/sbu
You can contact the ombudsman at 513-362-2801 or info@lascinti.org.
Want to learn more about Cincinnati's complicated sewer system?
Check out WVXU's podcast Backed Up to learn more about the history and challenges of Cincinnati's combined sewer system.
In recent severe rainstorms and for the past several decades, sewage has bubbled up in our basements and poured into our waterways. Climate change is making it worse, and the powers that be can't seem to agree on how to fix it.
Backed Up demystifies one of the most complex systems of public infrastructure — our sewers — and tells the stories of the people suffering under decades of mismanagement.
You can listen at wvxu.org/backedup or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
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