Septic backing up? Get emergency help

How this works: Chattanooga Septic Quotes is a free referral service, not a septic company. We pass your request to independent local septic pros, who may pay us for the referral. They quote, schedule and do the work; check their insurance before you hire. More about us.

First steps

• Stop sending water down the drains. Hold off on laundry, showers, dishwashers and flushing until the system is checked. Everything that goes down a drain ends up in the tank.
• Keep people and pets away from sewage inside and from wet spots over the tank or field.
• Don't drive on the drain field or park service trucks on it. The EPA warns that vehicles compact the soil and can damage pipes.
• Don't pour chemical drain openers into a septic system. The EPA says they harm the bacteria the system depends on.

Septic problem or sewer problem?

If your home is on public sewer, a backup may be in the sewer line rather than a tank. In unincorporated Hamilton County and the towns WWTA serves, its weekend and after-hours sewer emergency line is 423-209-6408. WWTA says the private service line from your house to the street is the owner's responsibility, and a plumber needs a permit to repair it.

If you're on septic, you need a pumper, and possibly a repair. Ask for the after-hours rate before the truck rolls. National cost guides don't publish a reliable emergency surcharge, so our estimator doesn't add one.

What the visit might cost

Angi's 2026 figures: pumping averages $428 (most $292 to $565), clog removal averages about $1,700, and typical repairs run $630 to $3,040. Sewage cleanup outside costs $7 to $15 per square foot. A failed drain field is a bigger job: $2,000 to $15,000 to repair, or $5,000 to $12,000 to replace the tank and field.

Sewage on the ground is a rules issue too

Georgia's rules bar letting sewage seep or discharge to the ground surface or a waterway and make the owner responsible for maintenance. Hamilton County Groundwater Protection takes complaints about malfunctioning septic systems and issues the $40 repair permit.