Snellville's sewer is provided by Gwinnett County, and Gwinnett's rules make the homeowner responsible for the whole sewer lateral, so most backups that start at the house are a plumber's job. About 30% of Snellville homes were built before 1980. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Snellville.
Snellville is an established southern Gwinnett suburb on US 78, and it has no water department of its own; the city's permit page points to Gwinnett County's Department of Water Resources for water and sewer. Gwinnett holds owners responsible for everything on their side of the meter and the entire sewer lateral. Census survey data put the median home at 1991, with about 30% built before 1980, so you'll find both older cast iron and newer plastic lines here.
What to do now
- Stop using water. No flushing, showers or laundry until the line is clear.
- See how far it goes. One fixture is a local clog; several fixtures or the lowest drain filling means the main.
- Check the street. A manhole overflowing goes to Gwinnett DWR's 24-hour dispatch, 678.376.7000.
- Find the cleanout. Look for a capped pipe near the foundation. Leave it shut if water is pressing up.
- Move valuables. Keep rugs and boxes away from floor drains.
Symptoms and what they usually mean
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Kitchen sink slow for weeks | Grease buildup in the kitchen branch |
| Tub slow, sink fine | Hair in the tub drain |
| Toilet bubbles when the washer drains | Partial main line clog or vent problem |
| Rust flakes on the cable | Scaling inside older cast iron pipe |
| Clog returns every summer | Roots entering lateral joints |
Cost factors
- Where the blockage sits and how far the line runs
- Whether a cleanout is available or the plumber has to work through a toilet
- Cable, jetting and camera work, which may be billed separately
- Pipe repairs, if the line is cracked or sagging
- After-hours timing
Routine clearing doesn't involve the city. If pipe has to be replaced, Snellville issues its own building permits and does its own inspections, and plumbing subcontractors file an affidavit with the city.
When you call, the line connects you with an independent plumber who works in Snellville. It helps to know which fixture backed up first and whether this has happened before. In older homes near the US 78 corridor, mention if you've seen rust flakes or roots in past clogs, since that points toward a camera inspection rather than another round of cabling.
Drain Cleaning questions in Snellville
Which part of the sewer pipe is the homeowner's responsibility?
If every drain backs up at once, should I call the utility or a plumber first?
Is a gurgling toilet a sign of a bigger problem?
Why do drains in older homes clog more often?
More plumbing services in Snellville
Drain Cleaning nearby
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