Most Upper Marlboro addresses are outside the small incorporated town, across a postal area of about 77 square miles, so sewer service varies by address. WSSC Water serves the Upper Marlboro area and issues plumbing permits, and a plumber holding a WSSC license repairs the line from a house to the main. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Upper Marlboro.
Upper Marlboro has been the county seat of Prince George's County since 1721, but the incorporated town is tiny, with about 650 residents. The surrounding postal area mixes horse-farm countryside with growing housing developments, and the median home there was built around 1982. WSSC Water runs mains in the area, but whether a particular home is on public sewer depends on where it is. Check your bill: a WSSC sewer charge means a public connection, and no sewer charge suggests the home is not on municipal sewer and drains to a private onsite wastewater system instead.
What to do now
- Stop using water: hold off on flushing, laundry, dishwashing and showers.
- If you're on public sewer and a manhole is overflowing or neighbors are affected, call WSSC Water at 301-206-4002.
- Keep people and pets away from any sewage, and wear gloves if you have to move belongings.
- Find the cleanout near the foundation or in the basement.
- Skip chemical drain cleaners; they rarely clear a main line and make the work riskier.
- Call the number on this page and say whether your home is on public sewer.
Symptoms and what they point to
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Basement floor drain fills when the toilet flushes | Blockage in the building sewer |
| Slow drains everywhere in the house | Partial blockage or sagging pipe |
| Recurring clogs every few weeks | Roots or a broken joint holding debris |
| Wet, smelly strip across the yard | Cracked or separated pipe leaking |
| Gurgling after heavy rain | Groundwater entering through cracks |
Cost factors
- Length of the run; homes on larger lots can have long lines to the street or to an onsite system
- Depth and the type of damage the camera finds
- Driveways, patios or landscaping over the line
- Lining versus excavating and replacing
- Permits: WSSC Water issues plumbing permits throughout Prince George's County
The Town of Upper Marlboro points residents to the county for permitting, while plumbing permits and inspections come from WSSC. A camera inspection usually comes before any firm price, and it's worth keeping the recording. On larger rural lots, the camera can also show how far the line runs and whether its route crosses a driveway or paddock fence, which matters when choosing between a liner and digging.
Sewer Line Repair questions in Upper Marlboro
What if my home is not on municipal sewer?
How do I find out who provides sewer service at my address?
Can the sewer line on a newer house still fail?
Do I need a permit for a sewer line repair here?
More plumbing services in Upper Marlboro
Sewer Line Repair nearby
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