In Wilson, City of Wilson Water Resources runs wastewater collection and treats it at the Hominy Creek Water Reclamation Facility, while the drains in your house and the private line out to the city sewer are yours. A plumber can clear a fixture or the main line. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Wilson.
Wilson's drains in brief
Wilson, the county seat once known as the World's Greatest Tobacco Market, has a wide spread of housing ages. About 46% of homes were built before 1980, mostly in early-1900s neighborhoods like the Old Wilson, West Nash Street and East Wilson historic districts, while newer subdivisions have gone up mainly in the northwest. Older homes often have cast-iron or clay drains that scale up or let in roots; newer homes have plastic pipe that clogs mostly from grease, wipes and hair.
The City spells out the ownership split for water lines: it owns from the main to the property line or meter pit, and the homeowner owns the rest. For sewer, ask the City where the line changes hands at your address if a blockage seems to be near the street.
What to do right now
- Stop running water if the lowest drain in the house is backing up. Every flush adds to the overflow.
- Check whether it's one fixture or several. One slow sink is a branch clog; several slow drains point to the main line.
- Look outside. If a city manhole or the street is overflowing, or neighbors have the same problem, contact City of Wilson Water Resources.
- Try a plunger on a single fixture, but skip chemical drain openers.
- Find your cleanout, usually a capped pipe near the foundation or in the yard.
- Call for a plumber if the plunger doesn't work or more than one drain is involved.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| One sink or tub drains slowly | Hair, soap or food in that branch |
| Toilet gurgles when the washer drains | Partial blockage in the main line |
| Water comes up in the lowest tub or floor drain | Main line blocked |
| Same line clogs every few months | Roots, scale or a damaged section, common in older homes |
| Sewer smell from a little-used drain | Dry trap |
What affects cost
- Whether the clog is in a branch or the main line
- Access through a cleanout, a toilet or a vent
- Cabling, jetting or a camera inspection
- Repairs to broken or root-filled pipe, which inside city limits go through Wilson's Development Services Inspections Department
- Calls outside regular hours
Drain Cleaning questions in Wilson
Can tree roots get into a drain line?
How can I tell whether a backup is in my pipes or the public sewer?
What's the difference between cabling a drain and hydro jetting it?
Can flushable wipes really clog a pipe?
More plumbing services in Wilson
Drain Cleaning nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
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