The Town of Selma runs the local sewer collection system, with treatment by Johnston County, and the drains in your house and the line out to the Town's sewer are yours to maintain. Over half of Selma homes were built before 1980. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Selma.
Selma's drains
Selma is a railroad town on I-95 next to Smithfield. The Town maintains 19 sewer lift stations, and its wastewater flows through the county interceptor system to the Central Johnston County Regional Wastewater Facility. The housing is older: the median home dates to 1974, and about 55% were built before 1980. Homes in the Downtown Selma and West Selma historic districts often have cast-iron or clay drain lines, which corrode, shift or let in roots over time.
Selma's main water supply comes from town wells, and a separate Selma-Countyline system serves some streets with county water. That's the water side; it doesn't change how a drain clog is cleared.
Do this first
- Stop using water if the lowest drain is backing up.
- Check one fixture or many. A single slow drain is usually local; several at once means the main line.
- Look outside. If the street or neighbors are affected, contact the Town of Selma's water and sewer operations.
- Plunge a single fixture if it's safe, but don't add chemicals, which are especially hard on old pipe.
- Find the cleanout, often near the foundation.
- Call for a plumber if water keeps coming up or drains stay slow.
Signs and what they point to
| Sign | Probable cause |
|---|---|
| Tub drains slowly | Hair and soap |
| Kitchen drain backs up | Grease and food buildup, worse in rough old pipe |
| Toilet gurgles when the sink drains | Partial main-line blockage or a vent problem |
| Water rising in the lowest drain | Main line blocked |
| Clogs return every few months | Roots or a cracked section in clay or cast iron |
Lift stations push sewage to higher ground where gravity can't carry it. If one loses power or a pump fails, homes it serves can see slow drains. When a whole neighborhood is affected at once, the Town needs to know.
Cost factors
- Where the clog is and how far the plumber has to reach
- Whether there's a cleanout
- Cable, jetting or camera inspection
- Repairs, which start with Town of Selma zoning approval and go to Johnston County Building Inspections
- Whether roots need a cutting head rather than a standard cable
- Time of day
If a repair is recommended, ask to see the camera footage so you know exactly what's wrong and where.
Drain Cleaning questions in Selma
Can tree roots get into a drain line?
Why does my drain clog again a few weeks after it was cleared?
Should I have a camera run through the line?
Why do some drains back up after heavy rain?
More plumbing services in Selma
Drain Cleaning nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
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