Baltimore expands program to help residents deal with sewer backups

Baltimore City has expanded a program that helps residents deal with sewer backups. 

The expansion extends aid for cleanup and disinfection services to eligible residents experiencing sewer backups in any weather conditions, said a news release announcing the change.

Previously, the program applied only to sewer backups linked to wet-weather events, such as heavy or long-term rainfall. 

The expansion covers "qualifying backups that occur during dry weather when the blockage is determined to be on the city-owned side of the sewer lateral," the statement said. 

The program is administered by the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW). It aims to educate residents about what causes sewer backups and help residents take prompt action to protect public health and safety, and reduce cleanup costs, according to city officials. 

The initiative connects eligible residents to third-party contractors to receive no-cost professional cleaning and disinfection services.

"Residents deserve to feel safe in their homes and to know where to turn when a sewage backup occurs," Mayor Brandon Scott said in a statement. "Expanding this program is an important step to help more families access professional cleanup services and navigate these difficult situations."

"Expanding the SOS Cleanup Program allows us to provide more direct support to residents dealing with the disruption and health and safety concerns that come with a sewage backup," DPW Director Matthew Garbark added.

The city's decision came just hours before a city council hearing at which council members were due to question DPW officials about its handling of the program, reported our media partner, the Baltimore Banner. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered Baltimore to expand access to its backup aid program in 2023. But the city resisted at the time, arguing that the federal consent decree did not require aid during dry weather events, according to the Banner.