Sewer Line Repair in Derwood, MD

Derwood is an unincorporated community just north of Rockville and southeast of Gaithersburg, near the Shady Grove Metro and Lake Needwood. About two-thirds of its homes were built in the 1980s, with a median build year around 1985, but a small share of houses date to 1939 or earlier. WSSC Water collects sewage here, and most WSSC sewage from Montgomery County is treated at DC Water's Blue Plains plant. For any overflow from a public manhole, WSSC's Emergency Service Center is at 301-206-4002.

What to do now

1. Stop using water: no flushing, laundry or dishwasher until the line drains.
2. Look at the street and nearby manholes; if sewage is surfacing there, call WSSC.
3. If the backup is only in your house, keep people and pets away from it.
4. Locate the cleanout and the lowest drain, and move belongings away from both.
5. Take photos of any damage.
6. Call the number on this page to reach a plumber who can clear the line and inspect it with a camera.

Symptoms and what they point to

Cost factors

• Depth and length of the lateral to the WSSC connection
• What has to be moved or restored: sod, plantings, a driveway or patio
• Repair type: cleaning, point repair, liner or new section
• Access, including whether a cleanout must be added
• WSSC permit and inspection; repairs to the service line must be done by a plumber registered with WSSC (Permit Services 301-206-4003)

Most Derwood lines are young enough that a full replacement is rarely the first answer. A camera run often shows a single bad joint or one settled stretch, which a point repair or short liner can handle. The handful of much older houses in the area are the exception: there, ask the plumber to look at the whole run before fixing only the worst spot.