Please contact our office at 330-723-9585. If during normal business hours, our service personnel can check the sanitary sewer main to be sure it is flowing free and unobstructed. They can help you to answer questions regarding any complaint history, assist in finding exterior clean outs for access to the sanitary lateral (if record location is known), and in determining the length of the sanitary lateral from the house to the MCSE sewer main. If referred to a plumber, we recommend you share this information so the plumber can respond with the appropriate equipment to snake and clear the full lateral length from the house plumbing to the sanitary sewer main.

If after normal business hours, please contact our EMERGENCY after hours operator at 330-723-9585 to assess the need for an emergency “on-call” response. Our staff will not perform a service call after hours if our assessment of the call indicates the problem lies within the private service connection, otherwise MCSE can bill for the after-hours service if the homeowner insists upon a service call.

The County is responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of the sanitary sewer main and the laterals within the public right-of-way. The homeowner is responsible for the maintenance of the sanitary lateral from the home plumbing to the MCSE sanitary sewer main. It is your plumber’s responsibility to snake the full length of the sanitary lateral from the house plumbing to the MCSE sewer main so that any solids, grease, and/or roots affecting the connection are purged to the sewer main. If the plumber internally televises the sanitary lateral, we recommend you request a copy of the videotape/DVD as part of their service call. If the plumber finds open joints, broken pipe, etc., and recommends repair or replacement of the sanitary lateral, please contact our Permits Division at (330) 723-9581, or (330) 723-9599 for permit and inspection requirements before scheduling the work. If the plumber believes the repair area is within the public right-of-way, and thereby, is the County’s responsibility to address, we request that the location be marked/flagged at grade, and a copy of the videotape/DVD be provided to MCSE.

The disposal of cooking grease is the most common cause of sewer back-up. Once grease begins to accumulate in the lateral, over time it will often collect more grease and solids, growing in size, until it blocks the ability for wastewater to flow through the lateral. Root intrusion into the sanitary lateral can create similar problems. Left unattended, the roots can grow dense and obstruct the normal wastewater flow. Grease and solids can collect and build up on the roots. When the lateral becomes blocked, untreated wastewater can back up into your home. Roots are considered a maintenance item and can be removed by your plumber when servicing the sanitary lateral.

• Avoid pouring cooking grease down the drain. Instead, pour grease into a can or jar and dispose of it in the trash.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly, and while operating the garbage disposal, run cold water the entire time. Avoid using the disposal for waste that is too large or too hard to be ground thoroughly.
• Use a drain screen to catch hair, lint and other debris in sinks, tubs, and floor drains.
• Avoid flushing diapers, paper towels, sanitary napkins, washing machine lint, or other debris down the toilet.
• Periodically check any clean-out caps to make sure they are secure, and that no debris can enter into it.
• Cap floor drains if no other plumbing fixtures are on the basement level.
• Check that your home’s downspouts and footer drains are not illegally connected into your home’s sanitary lateral. During rain events, the “clean” water can overwhelm the lateral.
• If you have trees above or near to your sanitary lateral, perform periodic maintenance to prevent root intrusion.
• Do not pour oil, grease, antifreeze, cleaning fluids, thinners, paints, solvents, or other similar chemicals in the floor drain. Contact the Central Processing Facility for household hazardous waste disposal options at 330-769-1273.

The County will refer you to your homeowners’ insurance company for assistance with cleaning services and/or damage claims. Please be aware that basic homeowners’ policies typically do not cover sewer back-ups. Instead, many insurance companies offer riders that can be purchased in addition to the basic policy to insure loss due to sewer back-ups. Please review your insurance coverage with your agent. The County is generally not held liable for damages resulting from a sewer back-up even if the backup originates in the MCSE sanitary sewer main.

Sewer gas odor is often attributed to dry traps. We recommend that you check little used fixtures and run water to fill the traps built into their plumbing systems. Pour a bucket of water into floor drains to similarly fill the traps. If the odors continue, we recommend that you check the sanitary vent stack on the roof. It is possible the vent stack has become obstructed, or partially obstructed, which is affecting your home’s plumbing operations.