10 Major Sewage Backup Health Risks

Sewage backup health risks come from the dangerous viruses, bacteria, and parasites in wastewater that can spread illness quickly. When sewage overflows into a home, it brings human waste, chemicals, and harmful microorganisms that contaminate floors, walls, and even the air. Exposure can happen through touch, inhalation, or contact with contaminated surfaces, making cleanup especially risky.

One of the most serious threats is Hepatitis A, a viral infection that damages the liver and causes fever, fatigue, jaundice, and stomach pain. Alongside this, sewage exposure can trigger stomach infections, gastroenteritis, and other dangerous diseases.

In this guide, you'll learn what sewage contains, the ten major health risks, and safe solutions to fix a backup effectively.

Read also – How to get rid of sewage smell

What Is a Sewage Backup?

A sewage backup occurs when wastewater reverses direction in your plumbing system and flows back into your home. This dirty water is not just unpleasant, it often contains bacteria, parasites, and dangerous viruses. Among these, Hepatitis A is a common viral threat, showing how quickly sewage exposure can turn into a serious health issue.

What's In Sewage Backup?

Sewage can contain any of the following:

Viruses in Sewage – One of the main sources of viruses, including viral pathogens in wastewater is human fecal matter, particularly from infected persons.
Harmful Bacteria – Among the numerous types of bacteria in sewage, the most common types are fecal coliforms, which originate in human intestines and travel via human discharges. These parasitic bacteria require a living organism, or host, and a readily available food supply.
Pests and Rodents – Cockroaches and rats love sewage. Some rats use sewage pipes to infiltrate your home.
Fungi and Mold – Fungus builds up on almost any surface where there is a flow of water and the necessary nutrients are available, such as organic wastes.
Protozoa – A group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debris.

According to the National Resources Defense Council, there are more than two million reports of illnesses caused by sewage every year.

Read more about – When is the city responsible for sewer backups

Why Sewage Backups Are a Serious Health Hazard

The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reports that more than two million cases of illness are linked to sewage exposure each year in the United States. Contaminated water can spread across floors, furniture, and HVAC systems, exposing everyone in the building to harmful pathogens.

Direct exposure is dangerous, but even indirect contact—such as touching surfaces contaminated by sewage droplets—can spread disease.

10 Sewage Backup Health Risks

These are 10 health risks associated with sewage backup exposure.

Campylobacteriosis: Symptoms of this disease include fever, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, and vomiting.
Cryptosporidiosis: This waterborne disease causes a slight fever, diarrhea, loose or watery stools, upset stomach, and stomach cramps.
Diarrheagenic E. coli: Drinking fecal-contaminated water can expose you to E. coli, resulting in fever, watery or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting.
Gastroenteritis: Also known as the stomach flu, this infection causes fever, watery diarrhea, headaches, abdominal cramps, and vomiting.
Giardiasis: The Giardia parasite spreads this disease, causing diarrhea, loose or watery stools, upset stomach, and stomach cramps.
Hepatitis A: This viral liver disease is contracted from ingesting infected fecal matter. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, jaundice, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea.
Salmonellosis: Caused by exposure to Salmonella, this disease can cause fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.
Dysentery: Ingesting contaminated fecal water can cause this disease, symptoms of which include fever, bloody diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
Typhoid fever: A bacterial disease spread through contaminated food and water, this disease causes high fever, weakness, cough, headaches, stomach pains, and loss of appetite. Some people also experience a rash.
Death

How To Fix A Sewage Backup

There are multiple ways to fix sewage backups.

Pipe Lining (Trenchless)

A unique, epoxy-impregnated liner is inserted into the old pipe and inflated. This creates a new pipe inside the old one. Pipe lining can be considered replacement or repair depending on whether the whole pipe length will be lined or just a section.

If only a section of pipe (a spot repair) is lined, it is considered a repair. If you line the whole pipe from start to finish, it is basically like getting a brand new pipe installed (aka replacement).

Pipe Bursting (Trenchless)

Pipe bursting is where a new HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipe is attached to a winch with a cone-shaped bursting head and pulled through the damaged line. The damaged pipe breaks apart as the new one takes its place.

Note: Sometimes, a drain pipe is so severely damaged that no trenchless method is viable. Plumbers cannot use trenchless technology on pipes that are back-pitched, which means that the original contractors failed to use the proper slope for your sewer line to your city connection. Also, if the pipe has collapsed onto itself, you will have to go the conventional trenching route.

Conventional Repair

If the pipe has collapsed or is improperly sloped, excavation may be the only option.

How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Sewage Backup

Trenchless sewer repair can cost anywhere between $4,000-$15,000 for the average single-family home. Jobs range from a few feet of repair to hundreds of feet, changing the pricing per amount of needed work. There will always be a base cost starting at permits, contractor mobilization, project minimums, and then prices move on from there.

Conventional sewer repair, on average, costs $50 to $450 per linear foot. The price to install brand new pipes throughout your home or yard could run to $15,000 because of all the extensive work, such as trenching and excavation. Conventional sewer repair quotes will be lower than trenchless, but they don't include the cost to clean up the mess and repair the property damage.

Cost of Sewage Backup Repairs and Pros | Cons

Method	Average Cost	Pros	Cons
Trenchless Pipe Lining	$4,000–$15,000	Fast, less property damage	Higher upfront cost
Pipe Bursting	$4,000–$20,000	Long lifespan, minimal digging	Not possible on collapsed pipes
Conventional Repair	$50–$450/ft	Lower initial estimate	Yard/property damage, longer repair

Who Can Fix Sewage Backups Near You

Professional plumbers with experience in sewer line inspection and trenchless repair can solve backups quickly. Companies like New Flow Plumbing use camera inspections to locate the problem and provide tailored repair options. Always choose a licensed, insured contractor for safe and lasting results.