Macomb County, MI · Basement floods, sump failures, sewer backups · 24/7
Flooded Basement Cleanup in Macomb County, MI
Water in the basement right now? Pumps out today, wet drywall and carpet out, then drying until the meters read dry. A crew answers 24 hours a day with a 45 minute response.
Call now (586) 333-3156→- Sump pump failures
- Floor drain and sewer backups
- Rain seepage through walls
- Burst pipes and water heaters
Where Is the Water Coming From?
The source decides how the water is cleaned, who pays, and who you must notify. Look before you call.
Water around the sump pit
The pump stopped, lost power, or could not keep up. The water is usually clean ground water, but it spreads fast across finished floors. Check the breaker and the float before anything else.
Water rising from a floor drain
The sewer is backing up. It is contaminated water even when it looks clear. Stop running water upstairs. In Macomb County you may need to notify the sewer owner within 45 days.
Wet lines along the walls after rain
Ground water is pushing through cracks, the wall-floor joint, or window wells. It soaks the bottom of drywall and carpet tack strip first, so the damage hides behind the wall.
A spray, a drip or a puddle under one spot
A supply line, water heater, washer hose or pipe joint failed. Shut the main water valve. This is usually sudden water damage, which most policies treat differently from flooding.
What to Do in the First Hour
Stay dry and safe
Do not step into water that touches outlets, cords, the furnace or the water heater. Shut off basement power at the panel only if you stand on a dry floor.
Stop new water
Close the main water valve for a pipe leak. For a floor drain backup, stop using sinks, toilets, showers and the washer.
Photograph everything
Shoot the water line on the walls, the drain or sump, and every damaged item before you move it. Note the time you found it.
Lift what you can
Move boxes, electronics and papers upstairs. Put furniture legs on foil or blocks.
Call for removal
Standing water that sits more than 24 to 48 hours gives mold a start, per the EPA. Call (586) 333-3156.
How a Flooded Basement Is Cleaned Up
1. Classify the water. Clean supply water, gray water from appliances, and sewer water (Category 3 under the IICRC S500 standard) each get a different cleanup. Sewer water means porous materials it touched come out.
2. Extract. Truck-mounted and portable extraction pulls water out of carpet and off concrete. Pad that took on sewer or gray water is cut out and bagged.
3. Open the walls. Drywall and insulation that wicked water are cut at a straight line above the wet mark, so the studs and bottom plate can dry.
4. Clean and treat. Every surface the water touched is cleaned. Antimicrobial goes on wood and concrete after a backup.
5. Dry and prove it. Low-grain dehumidifiers run with air movers aimed along the walls. A moisture meter checks the same spots every day until they read like dry material.
Sewer Backup Claims in Macomb County: The 45-Day Rule
Michigan's Public Act 222 of 2001 added MCL 691.1416 through 691.1419, which set the only legal path to recover damages for a sewage disposal system backup from a governmental agency.
Michigan Legislature, MCL 691.1416Under MCL 691.1416, an overflow or backup does not count as a covered sewage disposal system event if an obstruction in a private service lead, a sump system or building drain connection on the affected property, or an act of war or terrorism was 50% or more of the cause.
Michigan Legislature, MCL 691.1416Under MCL 691.1417, a homeowner recovering damages from a governmental agency's sewer system must show the agency was the correct one to sue, the sewer had a defect, the agency knew or should have known about the defect, the agency failed to take reasonable steps to fix it in a reasonable time, and the defect was a substantial proximate cause of the damage.
Michigan Legislature, MCL 691.1417Under MCL 691.1419, a claimant is not entitled to compensation for a sewage disposal system event unless they give the governmental agency written notice within 45 days after the damage was discovered or should have been discovered.
Michigan Legislature, MCL 691.1419Several of the county's largest cities, including Warren, Fraser, and Roseville, are not on those county systems at all and instead own and run their own water and sewer divisions, so a homeowner there reports a backup to the city, not the county.
City of Warren, Warren Water Recovery FacilityWhat this means at home: write down the date you found the water, find out whether your city or the county owns your sewer, and send written notice before day 45. Keep the photos and the cleanup records.
Macomb County Flood Record
NOAA logged 29 flood and flash-flood reports in Macomb County from 2010 to 2025. These are the most recent:
| Date | Place | Event | Size | What NOAA logged | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-28 | Sterling Hgts | Flash Flood | Numerous roadways completely flooded in Fraser and Sterling Heights. | record | |
| 2025-06-18 | Anchor Bay Gardens | Flash Flood | Curb to curb flooding on Hayes Rd between 19 Mile and Utica Rd, and Utica Rd between Hayes Rd and Metro Pkwy. | record | |
| 2024-08-02 | East Detroit | Flash Flood | Several underpasses along this stretch of I-94 were closed or partially blocked with 6 inches of water or more over the roadways that was ei | record | |
| 2024-07-23 | Van Dyke | Flash Flood | The Michigan Department of Transportation reported flooding on I-94 and Gratiot Ave closing all lanes. | record | |
| 2021-08-12 | Cady | Flash Flood | Flooded roadways were reported, especially around 13 Mile Road and Groesbeck Highway. | record | |
| 2021-06-26 | Pleasant Ridge | Flash Flood | Roads and basements became flooding across southern Macomb county as 3 to 4 inches of rain was reported. | record | |
| 2020-09-01 | St Clair Shrs | Flood | Lake St. | record | |
| 2020-08-28 | Mt Vernon | Flash Flood | M-59 closed at Utica due to flooding, as well as Mound and Thirteen mile roads in Warren. | record | |
| 2020-08-28 | Mt Vernon | Flood | Flooding from the heavy morning rain slowly receded. | record | |
| 2020-08-01 | St Clair Shrs | Flood | Lake St. | record | |
| 2020-07-10 | Pleasant Ridge | Flash Flood | Eight mile road near Ferndale and Detroit was flooded, along with many side streets. | record | |
| 2020-07-01 | St Clair Shrs | Flood | Lake St. | record |
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, read 2026-10-02.
Macomb County Public Works runs three multi-community sanitary sewer systems for roughly 800,000 residents: the Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District, the 8½ Mile Relief Drain Drainage District, and the Martin Sanitary Diversion District. Southeast Macomb communities on these systems also run Combined Sewer Overflow reduction programs. Reach the department at 586-469-5100.
Macomb County Public Works, Wastewater ServicesMacomb County was one of the counties named in the federal disaster declaration for the August 2014 Michigan severe storms and flooding (DR-4195).
FEMA, Michigan Severe Storms, Flooding (DR-4195)Macomb County was named again in the federal disaster declaration for the June 2021 Michigan severe storms and flooding (DR-4607), a second federally declared flood event inside seven years.
FEMA, Michigan Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes (DR-4607)In December 2016, part of the Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District, the same system that now serves about 600,000 residents including Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and Macomb Township, collapsed under 15 Mile Road in Fraser and opened a large sinkhole, forcing an emergency, multi-year repair spread across the member communities.
Macomb County Public Works, Wastewater ServicesOlder Houses, Older Drains
Homes built before the 1970s often have clay tile drains and footing drains tied to the sanitary line, so they take on water first in a big storm. In Macomb County, Fraser has the oldest housing on this list, with a median build year of 1961.
| Town | Median year built | Flood reports (NOAA) |
|---|---|---|
| Fraser | 1961 | 0 |
| Roseville | 1961 | 1 |
| Warren | 1965 | 0 |
| Sterling Heights | 1977 | 4 |
| Shelby Township | 1989 | 1 |
| Macomb Township | 2000 | 0 |
Housing age: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year (B25035), via Census Reporter.
Town Notes for Macomb County
Sterling Heights names four flood sources on its own flood services page: the Clinton River, the Red Run Drain, the Plumbrook Drain, and Beaver Creek. A resident can check floodplain status at the Public Library, on the city GIS map, or by calling the Office of Engineering at 586-446-2720, and the city sits on the Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District for sanitary sewer service.
City of Sterling Heights, Flood ServicesWarren treats its own wastewater rather than sending it to a county system, at a plant originally designed in 1957 and now rated for 50 million gallons a day in normal weather and up to 100 million gallons a day during a storm; it currently processes about 22 million gallons a day. A resident reports a sewer problem to the city's own water and sewer system, not Macomb County Public Works.
City of Warren, Warren Water Recovery FacilityFraser owns its sanitary sewer main outright, and the homeowner is responsible only for the private lateral line between the house and that main. DPW staff help determine whether a blockage sits in the city main or the private line, and residents call Public Works at 586-293-2001 to start that process.
City of Fraser, SewerRoseville's own Water and Sewer Division, not the county, owns and maintains more than 150 miles of water and sanitary sewer main in the city, even though part of Roseville also sits inside the county's Martin Sanitary Diversion district. A resident calls Public Services at 586-445-5470 to report a backup.
City of Roseville, Public ServicesClinton Township runs its own Water and Sewer Division for drinking water and sanitary sewer mains, reachable at 586-286-9300 or, after hours, 586-469-5502, while sitting on the county's Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District for sewage conveyance. Macomb County Public Works' own headquarters sits inside the township.
Clinton Township, Water & SewerMacomb Township's Department of Public Works serves about 30,000 metered water and sewer customers across 36 square miles through 8 pump stations, and new connections require a water and/or sewer tap permit. The department warns that flushable wipes, which do not break down like toilet paper, are a frequent cause of pump damage. Call 586-598-0687, or 586-598-1790 for an emergency.
Macomb Township, Department of Public WorksShelby Township's sewage connects into one of Macomb County's multi-community sewer systems rather than a township-owned treatment plant. For questions about which county district serves a specific address, residents can reach Macomb County Public Works directly at 586-469-5100.
Macomb County Public Works, Wastewater ServicesTowns we answer calls from in Macomb County: Sterling Heights, Warren, Fraser, Roseville, Macomb Township, Shelby Township.
Flooded Basement Questions
What should I do first when my basement floods?
Keep out of the water if outlets, cords or the furnace are wet. Turn off power to the basement at the panel if you can reach it from dry ground. Find the source: a sump pit that is overflowing, a floor drain pushing water up, a wet wall, or a broken pipe. Take photos before you move anything. Then call for water removal.
How do you clean a flooded basement?
Remove the water first with pumps and extractors. Pull out carpet pad and any drywall or insulation that wicked water. Clean and disinfect every surface the water touched, and treat sewer water as contaminated. Then dry the room with dehumidifiers and air movers until moisture readings match dry material, usually 3 to 5 days.
Why is water coming up through my basement floor drain?
The sewer line or the city main is full, so water has nowhere to go but back into the lowest opening in the house. In heavy rain this is often storm water in the sanitary sewer. Treat it as sewage. Stop using sinks, toilets and the washer until it drains.
My sump pump failed. Is the damage covered?
A standard homeowners policy often excludes water that backs up through a drain or overflows a sump unless you bought a water backup endorsement. Check your declarations page for 'water backup' or 'sump overflow' coverage, then call your agent.
Who do I notify in Macomb County about a sewer backup?
The agency that owns the sewer: your city, or the county system in Macomb County. Michigan law (MCL 691.1419) requires written notice within 45 days of finding the damage, or you lose the right to claim.
Can I stay in the house while the basement dries?
Usually yes for clean water. For sewer water, keep children and pets upstairs and away from the area until the contaminated material is removed and the area is disinfected.
How long does a flooded basement take to dry?
Most basements dry in 3 to 5 days with commercial equipment. Concrete, block walls and finished rooms with several layers can take longer. Drying is done when the meters say so, not by touch.
Water in the Basement? Call Now.
A crew can be on the way in 45 minutes, any hour.
Call now (586) 333-3156→