If the sewer cleanout is accessible, an emergency crew will be able to determine if the blockage is in the customer's line or in the county line. If the blockage is in the county line, the crew will be able to break the blockage, ending the back up. If there is not a cleanout, or if the cleanout cannot be located, you will need to call a plumber to assist you. Discontinue inside water use. Anything, which should not be in a sewer line, has the potential of causing a blockage.
Tree roots seeking moisture can grow through cracks in the lines, causing a blockage.
Vandals have stopped up lines by putting bricks, wood, oil filters, bed springs, and even Christmas trees in manholes. Illegal hookups allow excess water into the lines. Outside stairwell drains, sump pumps, roof leaders, and drain gutters should never be connected to the sewer system. A sewer system is designed to carry a predetermined amount of sewage. Rain water not only overloads the system, but also raises the cost of the treatment process.