Scottsdale Water runs the city sewer across most of Scottsdale, but some areas are not on municipal sewer, so the first question on a drain call is where your line goes. A plumber clears the clog in your fixtures or building sewer and tells you what caused it. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Scottsdale.
Scottsdale drains in brief
Housing data put the median Scottsdale home at 1990, with older neighborhoods in the south and newer development toward the north. The city's wastewater service area largely matches the city boundary, with wastewater treated at the Water Campus reclamation facility and at the regional 91st Avenue plant. A few areas are unsewered and use private onsite wastewater systems, and a small area on the east side near Cactus Road sends its wastewater to Fountain Hills Sanitary District facilities. Hardness also varies by area: the city reports its softest water north of Chaparral Road and its hardest south of Indian School Road.
What to do right now
- Stop running water anywhere in the house if more than one drain is affected.
- Do not keep flushing a toilet that is rising; lift the tank lid and close the flapper or turn off the valve behind it.
- Check the lowest fixture, usually a tub or shower, for water coming up from below.
- Find the outdoor cleanout. If water is seeping from it, the main line is blocked.
- If sewage is coming from a manhole or the street, call Scottsdale Water's general and emergency line at 480-312-5650.
- Skip chemical openers and call a plumber.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| One bathroom sink drains slowly | Hair and soap in the trap or pop-up stopper |
| Kitchen sink backs up after the dishwasher runs | Grease and food in the kitchen branch line |
| Tub fills when the toilet flushes | Blockage in the main building sewer |
| Gurgling and a sewer smell in a guest bath | Dry trap or a partial main line clog |
| Same clog every few months | Roots, a sag or broken pipe that a camera can confirm |
Cost factors
The price depends on how far into the system the clog sits, whether there is an accessible cleanout, and whether the plumber uses a cable, a jetter or a camera. Findings matter too: a cracked or bellied line can turn a cleaning into a repair. Scottsdale requires a plumbing permit to install, alter or repair a plumbing system, so a fix that replaces pipe goes through the One Stop Shop. After-hours calls usually cost more.
Drain Cleaning questions in Scottsdale
My home is not on municipal sewer. Can a plumber still clear the drains?
Does hard water make drain clogs worse?
Who handles sewage coming up from a public manhole or the street?
Can roots from desert trees and shrubs get into a sewer line?
More plumbing services in Scottsdale
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