Drain Cleaning in Dauphin County, PA: Sewer Backups, Storms & Costs
From Harrisburg’s combined sewers to Hershey and the townships, the line from your house to the public sewer is usually yours to keep clear. Call for a local drain pro who confirms the price before any work starts.
- Fast local help: call now
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- Local Dauphin County drain pros
Basement backing up?
- Stop running water and flushing toilets.
- Keep kids and pets away from the sewage.
- Call (888) 703-1520 and describe what you see.
Who do I call for a sewer backup in Dauphin County, PA?
Start by checking how far the problem reaches. A single slow fixture is usually a local clog you can plunge. Water rising in the basement floor drain, or toilets and tubs backing up together, points to the private line that carries your home’s waste to the public sewer, and in Harrisburg, Hershey and most townships that line is the owner’s to maintain. When the whole street is affected, the authority on your sewer bill handles it. When it’s just your home, (888) 703-1520 connects you with a local drain pro who confirms the price before starting.
Who runs the sewer system in your Dauphin County town?
Dauphin County has several sewer operators, and the rules differ by town.
| Where you live | Who runs the public sewer | Your part |
|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg | Capital Region Water, with about 60% of the city on combined sewers | The sewer lateral from your house to the main |
| Hershey and Derry Township | Derry Township Municipal Authority (DTMA) | The building sewer from your house to the authority’s lateral near the curb |
| Lower Paxton Township | Lower Paxton Township Authority, about 250 miles of sewer and 15,000+ accounts | The private line to your house |
| Other boroughs and townships | Your borough, township or local authority | Usually the private line to your house |
A backup in your house alone is almost always on the private side. Problems in a public main show up at several homes at once.
What makes Dauphin County drain problems different?
Harrisburg’s combined sewers
About 60% of Harrisburg drains into combined sewers that carry sewage and stormwater together. Parts of the system are very old; the Front Street Interceptor dates to 1911. In big storms, extra flow can push back into low basement drains.
Swatara Creek flooding
Tropical Storm Lee in September 2011 dropped 16 to 18 inches of rain on a saturated watershed. Swatara Creek crested around 26 feet, and the Hershey-area treatment plant lost power and sewer flow for about four days.
Suburban lines and leaks
Lower Paxton Township is under a state consent decree that ties new sewer connections to its infiltration and inflow program. Cracked laterals and sump pumps tied into sewers add water the system wasn’t built for.
Why do basements back up in Dauphin County storms?
A storm doesn’t clog your pipe, but it can expose a problem that’s already there:
- Rain and groundwater fill the public sewer, especially combined sewers and leaky lines.
- A lateral that’s partly blocked by roots or grease can’t drain fast enough.
- Sewage takes the easiest way out: your lowest drain, usually the basement floor drain.
A clear lateral, downspouts and sump pumps that discharge outside, and a camera check on an old line all lower the odds of a storm backup.
Is it one drain or the main line?
| Sign | Likely cause | Urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Sewage coming up the basement floor drain | Main line blocked | 🔴 Call now |
| Backups only during heavy rain | Partly blocked line plus storm flow | 🔴 Today |
| Several fixtures slow at once | Main line partly blocked | 🔴 Today |
| Same clog every few months | Roots or grease in the lateral | 🟠 This week |
| One slow bathroom sink | Hair and soap in the branch | 🟢 Can wait |
Not sure? Call (888) 703-1520 and describe what you see.
Drain services Dauphin County homeowners call about
Dauphin County Drain Cleaning FAQ
Who is responsible for the sewer line at a Dauphin County home?
In most of Dauphin County, the property owner is responsible for the private sewer line from the house to the public system. In Harrisburg, Capital Region Water says sewer laterals are the property owner’s responsibility. In Derry Township, the owner is responsible for the building sewer that runs from the house to the authority’s lateral near the curb.
Does Harrisburg have a combined sewer?
Yes. Capital Region Water says about 60% of Harrisburg drains into a combined sewer system, which carries sewage and stormwater in the same pipes and can overflow to Paxton Creek and the Susquehanna River in heavy rain.
Why do Dauphin County basements back up in big storms?
Heavy rain can fill public sewers, especially combined sewers and lines with leaks that let groundwater in. If your own lateral is partly blocked, that extra flow has nowhere to go but up the lowest drain in your basement. Keeping your line clear helps.
How much does drain cleaning cost in Dauphin County?
It depends on which line is clogged, how it’s reached, what caused it and when you call. A single sink costs less than a root-filled main line or a jetting visit. A local pro confirms the price before any work starts.
Which Dauphin County towns do you cover?
Drain pros cover Hershey, Harrisburg, Hummelstown, Middletown, Highspire and the surrounding townships, including Derry, Lower Paxton and Swatara. Call to confirm your address.
Is a sewage backup an emergency?
If sewage is coming up a floor drain, tub or toilet, yes. Stop using water, keep people and pets away, and call (888) 703-1520.
Towns we cover in Dauphin County
See our local guides for drain cleaning in Hershey, PA and Harrisburg, PA. Drain pros also cover Harrisburg, Hummelstown, Middletown, Highspire, Steelton and Derry, Lower Paxton, Susquehanna and Swatara Townships. Next door, see Lebanon County, including Palmyra, and Lancaster County.
Sewage coming up in a Dauphin County basement? Do this now
- Shut off the washer, dishwasher and anything else that sends water down the drain.
- Don’t flush, and keep children and pets out of the basement.
- In a storm, check that downspouts and sump pumps discharge outside, not into a drain.
- If neighbors have sewage too, report it to your sewer authority.
- Call (888) 703-1520 to get your line cleared.
✓ Free call · ✓ Price before work · ✓ Fast local help
Last updated November 2026. Facts on this page are sourced below.
Sources
- Capital Region Water: What are the homeowner’s responsibilities?
- Capital Region Water: The Problem (combined sewers)
- Capital Region Water: Consent decree progress report
- Township of Derry Code, Chapter 161: Sewers
- Lower Paxton Township Authority
- DTMA: Flood Recovery presentation (Tropical Storm Lee)
Drain Cleaning Prime is a free referral service that connects homeowners with independent local drain and sewer contractors. We don’t perform the work ourselves. Contractors are independent businesses, so confirm licensing, insurance and the price with your technician before any work begins.