Drain Cleaning in Lancaster County, PA: Storm Backups, Roots & Main Line Clogs
Lancaster City’s combined sewer overflows into the Conestoga River in heavy rain, more than a fifth of county homes predate 1940, and Ida brought the county’s biggest one-day rain since 1999. Call for a local drain pro who confirms the price before work starts.
- Fast local help: call now
- Price confirmed before work
- Lancaster County drain pros
Floor drain filling up right now?
- Stop all water use in the house.
- Keep everyone away from the sewage.
- Call (888) 703-1520 and say sewage is coming up.
Who do I call for a sewer backup in Lancaster, PA?
Call a drain cleaning pro if the backup is only in your home: that points to a clog in your own drain or lateral. Call the sewer provider on your bill first if neighbors are also backing up or water is pooling at a street manhole.
In and around Lancaster City, that provider may be the City of Lancaster Bureau of Wastewater (717-291-4825), the Lancaster Area Sewer Authority (LASA) or the Suburban Lancaster Sewer Authority (SLSA). The table below shows which serves which area.
What is sewer line opening in Lancaster County, PA?
Around Lancaster County, drain cleaning is often called line opening. Sewer line opening, drain line opening and main line opening all describe the same job: clearing a blocked drain or sewer line so water flows again.
- Sewer or main line opening: clearing the main line that carries everything from the house to the street, usually with a cable machine run through a cleanout.
- Drain line opening: clearing a single branch line, such as a kitchen sink, tub, shower or laundry drain.
- Line opening plus camera: a camera run after the line is open to show roots, cracks or sags, which matters in older clay and cast-iron lines.
If a basement floor drain is backing up or several fixtures are slow at once, ask for a main sewer line opening. Call (888) 703-1520; the price is confirmed before any work starts.
Why do Lancaster County basements back up when it rains?
Lancaster City has a combined sewer: one set of pipes carries both household sewage and street stormwater. In a hard rain the system fills, five overflow points discharge into the Conestoga River, and pressure in the pipes can push water back up the lowest drains in nearby homes.
A combined sewer under federal order
The City settled a consent decree with the U.S. EPA and Pennsylvania DEP in 2018 to update its overflow control plan. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has estimated overflows at roughly a billion gallons a year, and the City is adding porous streets and park retrofits to keep stormwater out.
One plant, many towns
The City’s Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant on New Danville Pike (rated about 32 million gallons a day) treats flow from the City plus parts of Lancaster, Manheim, Manor, East Hempfield, East and West Lampeter, Strasburg, Upper Leacock, West Earl and Pequea townships.
Ida showed the limit
On September 1, 2021, Ida dropped 3.5 to 8 inches on Lancaster County, its largest one-day total since 1999. The Conestoga River crested at 18.49 feet, its third-highest on record, and basements flooded from Mount Joy to East Lampeter and West Earl.
Pre-war homes, clay pipes
About 22% of Lancaster County homes were built before 1940. Rowhomes and twins in the City and older borough houses typically have clay laterals that tree roots find through every joint.
Limestone valleys
Much of central Lancaster County sits on limestone and dolomite, which can dissolve into sinkholes. Shifting soil can sag or crack a lateral; a leaking lateral can wash soil away and make it worse.
Farm-belt septic lines
Outside the sewer districts, many homes use septic systems. A blocked line to the tank backs up just like a sewer clog, and the fix is different from pumping the tank.
Which sewer authority serves my Lancaster County address?
Call the agency that sends your sewer bill for anything involving the public main. Your own lateral is generally yours to keep clear; ask your authority where its responsibility starts.
| Area | Sewer provider | Phone (as listed by Lancaster Township) |
|---|---|---|
| City of Lancaster and City-served parts of Lancaster, Manheim, Manor and East Hempfield townships | City of Lancaster Bureau of Wastewater | 717-291-4825 (office); 717-989-3727 after hours |
| West side of Lancaster Township, parts of Manheim Township | Lancaster Area Sewer Authority (LASA) | 717-299-4843, option 3, weekdays 8–4; 717-396-9619 evenings, weekends and holidays |
| East side of Lancaster Township, West Lampeter, Pequea | Suburban Lancaster Sewer Authority (SLSA) | 717-989-3727 (24 hours) |
| East Lampeter, Upper Leacock, Strasburg Borough and other townships and boroughs | Local sewer authority | The number on your sewer bill |
| Homes on septic | You own the system | A septic company for the tank; a drain pro for the line to it |
Confirm numbers on your sewer bill; providers can change contact details.
Is my floor drain backing up because of the city sewer or my own pipe?
| Clue | Points to | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Backs up only during or right after heavy rain, and neighbors report the same | Public sewer surcharging | Stop water use, call your sewer provider, ask a plumber about a backwater valve |
| Backs up when your washer, shower or toilet runs, dry weather or not | Your main line is blocked | Call a drain pro to clear the lateral |
| Toilet gurgles when the tub drains | Partial main-line blockage | Same-day drain cleaning |
| Only one sink or tub is slow | A local branch clog | Can usually wait for a daytime visit |
| Clogs return every few months | Roots in clay joints or a sag | Clean, then camera-inspect the line |
Where is my sewer cleanout, and what if I don’t have one?
A cleanout is a capped pipe, usually 3 to 4 inches wide, that gives straight access to your main line. In Lancaster County homes look for it in the basement near where the sewer pipe leaves the wall, outside near the foundation, or in the front yard toward the street. Older rowhomes may only have a trap or a floor drain to work through.
No cleanout doesn’t mean no cleaning: the pro can work through a toilet flange, roof vent or floor drain, but it takes longer. If clogs keep coming back, ask about installing an outdoor cleanout; it makes every future visit faster.
Does hydro jetting damage old clay or cast-iron pipes?
Not when the pipe is sound. High-pressure water scours grease, scale and root regrowth out of a healthy line better than a cable. It can make things worse in cracked clay, crushed Orangeburg (1945–1972 homes) or paper-thin cast iron, which is why a camera inspection should come first on older Lancaster homes.
| Pipe you may have | Common in | Usual first step |
|---|---|---|
| Clay tile | Pre-1950 City rowhomes and borough houses | Cable to cut roots, then camera |
| Cast iron | Interior drains in older homes | Cable or jetting after checking for scale and thin spots |
| Orangeburg (tar paper) | Many 1945–1972 homes | Camera first; often needs replacement, not jetting |
| PVC | Newer suburbs and replacements | Jetting or cable both fine |
How much does drain cleaning cost in Lancaster County?
It depends on the job, so the pro confirms the price before any work starts. What changes it: how easy the cleanout is to reach, how far the clog is from the house, whether roots or scale are involved, whether you want a camera inspection, and whether it’s a weekday or after hours.
What happens when you call (888) 703-1520?
- Tell us what is backing up and whether sewage is involved.
- We connect you with a local drain pro who serves your part of Lancaster County.
- The pro confirms the price first; ask about license and insurance.
- The line is cleared and tested, and repeat problems get a camera inspection.
Drain Cleaning Prime is a free referral service, not a plumbing company. The independent pro sets their own prices and does the work.
Drain services Lancaster County homeowners call about most
Which Lancaster County towns do you cover?
Calls connect to drain pros covering Lancaster City and nearby communities including Lancaster, Manheim and East Hempfield townships, Lititz, Ephrata, Manheim, Mount Joy, Elizabethtown, Columbia, Millersville, Strasburg, Leola, New Holland and Willow Street. Confirm your address on the call. West of the Susquehanna, see drain cleaning in York County. To the north, see drain cleaning in Lebanon County.
Lancaster County Drain Cleaning FAQ
What is the difference between a backwater valve and a backflow preventer?
A backwater valve sits on your sewer line and closes when sewage tries to flow back into the house, which is what protects a basement when a combined sewer surcharges in a storm. A backflow preventer protects your drinking water supply from contamination and does nothing for sewer backups. Ask a licensed plumber whether your home has, or needs, a backwater valve.
Is a clogged toilet the same as a sewer backup?
Not usually. If one toilet is clogged and other drains work, it’s a fixture clog. If the toilet gurgles or overflows when you run the washer or shower, or the basement floor drain fills up, the main line is backing up.
Can I stay in my house during a sewer backup?
You can usually stay if the sewage is contained to a small area you can avoid, but stop using all water and keep kids, pets and anyone with asthma or a weak immune system away. Sewage carries bacteria such as E. coli and viruses such as Hepatitis A, so heavy contamination of living space needs professional cleanup.
Is sewer gas dangerous?
In high concentrations, yes. Sewer gas contains hydrogen sulfide (the rotten-egg smell) and methane. A faint, occasional smell often means a dry floor-drain trap; pour a bucket of water into it. A strong or constant smell, or one with headaches or nausea, means ventilate and get the line checked.
Do baking soda and vinegar unclog drains?
Only very minor buildup, if that. The fizz looks busy but has little power against grease, hair mats or roots. It is safe to try once on a single slow sink. If several drains are slow, it won’t help, because the problem is in the main line.
How long does it take to unclog a main sewer line?
A straightforward main-line clog cleared through an accessible cleanout often takes about an hour. Roots, no cleanout access, or a camera inspection add time. The pro can estimate once they see access and the line.
Sewage coming up in a Lancaster County basement? Do this now
- Stop every source of water: toilets, sinks, laundry, dishwasher.
- Keep kids and pets out; wear gloves if you must touch anything.
- Skip chemical drain cleaners in a backed-up line.
- Stay away from water near outlets, appliances or the furnace.
- Photograph the damage, then call (888) 703-1520.
✓ Free call · ✓ Price before work · ✓ Fast local help
Last updated October 2026.
Sources
- City of Lancaster: Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan
- City of Lancaster: Bureau of Wastewater
- Lancaster Township: sewer providers and emergency numbers
- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Lancaster green infrastructure
- LNP: Ida rainfall in Lancaster County
- LNP: Conestoga River crest after Ida
- Central Penn Business Journal: oldest housing in Central PA
- Delaware Division of Public Health: sewage health risks
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.