Hydro Jetting in Capitol Heights, MD

Signs the clog is in the main line

• The lowest drain in the house backs up when a toilet flushes
• Toilets bubble or gurgle while the washer drains
• The line was snaked recently and is slow again
• Roots or rust came up on the snake
• Sewage odor near a basement or utility-room drain

Capitol Heights' lines and sewer

Capitol Heights began as a 1904 subdivision just past the District's eastern edge, where Northeast and Southeast Washington meet, and it was incorporated as a town in 1910. The median home dates to 1967, so many houses have drain lines that are more than half a century old, with cast iron inside and clay or iron laterals that collect scale and roots.

Because the town sits right at the DC line, people sometimes assume DC Water handles their sewer. It doesn't: Capitol Heights is in Prince George's County, where WSSC Water provides water and wastewater service, and WSSC permits and rules apply. Right at the boundary, check your bill to be sure. The Capitol Heights mailing address also covers unincorporated areas around the town.

For a sewer emergency in the street, such as an overflowing manhole or a backup affecting several homes, call WSSC Water at 301-206-4002. If only your house is backing up, a plumber is the right call.

What affects the cost

• Access: outdoor cleanout, interior cleanout or through a toilet
• Condition of older pipe and whether a camera check comes first
• Roots versus scale or grease
• Run length to the WSSC connection
• Off-hours scheduling

Should a camera find a crack or collapse, the repair is plumbing work permitted and inspected by WSSC Water, and it has to be done by a plumber holding a WSSC license.

What happens when you call

The number on this page connects you with an independent plumber who serves Capitol Heights and the surrounding area. Say which drains are affected, when the trouble started and whether the line has been cleaned before. Until the plumber arrives, keep water use low so the backup doesn't spread. If you live in one of the unincorporated streets with a Capitol Heights address, the process is the same: WSSC Water for sewer, a local plumber for the private line.