Make them pay for cleanup.

I don't know nearly enough about this to know for certain, but here is what just happened at my new place. This is the first time it has happened but it is also probably the first time it could have happened with me as the owner.

The sewer maintenance guys were out on the street doing something. About an hour in, I hear a bunch of noise from my bathroom and there is a fountain of clean water coming out. Enough came out for it to cover the floor and it shot all the way up to the windows. This also happened in another bathroom, and the other ones showed similar water in much less of a volume basically only hitting the seats.

I called up the sewer maintenance people who claimed they were cleaning the city sewer lines and that this was called a backflow pressure release and they actually got rid of something in my pipes but the pressure caused this to happen and that it shouldn't be a regular occurrence. Is this plausible?

I really only have the choice to wait a year and see if it happens next time though so it doesn't matter too much but I'm hesitant to totally buy into what any utility company says to avoid blame.

Make them pay for cleanup.

you should add a backflow prevention device on your sewer line.... its essentially a valve that will allow the poo to flow away from your home but not allow sewer water to flow from the main back to your house.

was this a basement bathroom? do you only have one bathroom? do you have overhead sewers in your house (if really old house may not)

Did. Not. Happen.

I always thought backflow prevention devices were on inbound clean water lines. At least the ones I have to certify are. I've never seen a poo water backflow prevention device.
Then again I'm not a plumber.

Backflow valves in homes are for waste.

RPZ valves protect water supply and I would highly doubt you have them in your house, they are usually in medical offices to protect from backflow contamination.

But of course, I am just guessing as never really put anything like this in, a guy who has a handyman as a brother in law that runs around in a van and is unlicensed and unisured is probably a much better source.

BRick, also consider that if they are shovinig a pressure washer rod up your main water supply which is probably 1 inch max, and if you have an old house, has a 1/2 inch buildup of hard water solids, they are saving you the drastic cost of new service which in Chicago costs me about $9-12K and would probably cost a homeowner 15-18K.

But once again, you should ask someone that knows.

Shots fired at Darkside!

I always thought backflow prevention devices were on inbound clean water lines. At least the ones I have to certify are. I've never seen a poo water backflow prevention device.
Then again I'm not a plumber.

No shots fired. Would be very unlike any residential home, even a plumbers home to have an RPZ valve on the water supply, however, I would be impressed and they arent cheap, but would probably be a good idea for everyone to have them, but so would backup gas generators.

That too....but I am sure the experts all knew that.

Installed a couple of them and they are really one of the coolest systems. If power goes out, they kick in, at the 15 second mark of no power. The terror of being without electricity though for 15 seconds for a fmaily that can afford such a system though, must be a harrowing time.

My kicks on immediately. You don't even notice that the power went off.

A little tip for all of you homeowners out there. Your local Generac dealer probably has a used system that they replaced with a new one, sitting around their shop. Good deals with warranties can be had for those who like to negotiate a little. I was able to get ours at a third of the cost of a new one.