Sewage rising from a manhole is a health emergency. ClearFlow's local engineers respond across Glasgow in 15 to 45 minutes, 24/7, zero call-out fee, fixed price before work starts.
Tell us what's blocked. We'll call back with a fixed price, no obligation.
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Message on WhatsAppA manhole or inspection chamber overflowing with sewage is the most urgent drainage emergency a property can have. Foul water contains harmful bacteria, and raw sewage on a garden, driveway or back court is a genuine health hazard for anyone on the property, particularly children and pets. It also spreads fast in wet conditions, which Glasgow has no shortage of, contaminating a wider area with every hour that passes.
When a manhole is overflowing, it means the sewer or drain downstream of that chamber is blocked. The blockage is preventing wastewater from moving away from the property, so the inspection chamber fills and eventually surcharges over the top. Depending on where the blockage sits, it could be on your private drain, on a shared drain serving several properties, or on Scottish Water's public sewer. We identify exactly where the blockage is as part of every callout, so you know immediately whether it is your responsibility or theirs.
ClearFlow responds to overflowing manhole callouts across Glasgow and the surrounding area 24 hours a day. David and Chris carry jetting equipment, rodding kit and CCTV on every van and clear the large majority of sewer blockages on the first visit. If the blockage turns out to be on Scottish Water's network, we tell you straight away and explain the steps to report it, so you are not paying for work that is not yours to fix.
Manhole cover lifting, rattling or sitting proud of the ground during or after heavy use of indoor plumbing
Foul water or sewage visible on the surface around the manhole cover
Sewage smell from the back court, garden or driveway, especially after heavy rain
Multiple toilets or drains in the property backing up or gurgling at the same time
Water or sewage appearing in the garden or back court from no obvious source
Manhole cover visibly submerged in standing foul water
Sewage smell inside the property coming from floor drains or basement areas
Neighbours in the same close or on the same street reporting the same problem at the same time
Speak to David or Chris directly. Tell us where the manhole is, what is coming out of it and whether neighbours are affected. We confirm the price and set off immediately.
Even on emergency callouts the price is confirmed by text or email before the engineer sets off. No call-out fee, no emergency surcharge.
We treat overflowing manhole callouts as the highest priority emergency on our books. Across most of Glasgow we are with you within the hour.
We lift the manhole cover and use CCTV or rodding to establish exactly where the blockage is. This tells us immediately whether it sits on your private drain, a shared drain or Scottish Water's public sewer. If it is Scottish Water's responsibility we tell you straight away and walk you through reporting it.
If the blockage is on your private or shared drain, we clear it with high-pressure jetting or rodding and confirm the manhole is flowing freely. We flush-test the system and check the manhole is no longer surcharging before we leave.
A manhole overflows because something downstream of it is blocking the sewer. The cause and the location of that blockage determine who is responsible for fixing it and what the fix involves.
The most common cause of manhole overflows in Glasgow's tenement areas. Wet wipes collect in the shared soil pipe or sewer, build up over time and eventually cause a full blockage that backs up to the nearest inspection chamber.
Cooking fat flushed down sinks solidifies inside the sewer as it cools. In shared sewers serving multiple properties the accumulation is faster and heavier, causing the bore to narrow until it blocks completely.
Roots from Glasgow's street and garden trees enter through cracked drain joints and grow into the sewer bore. Root ingress on a shared sewer section can block the whole run and cause multiple manholes to surcharge.
Ground movement, vehicle loading and age-related failure crack and displace clay sewer sections in older Glasgow streets. A collapsed section acts as a dam that backs up everything upstream.
Some older Glasgow streets have combined sewers that carry both surface water and foul water in the same pipe. In very heavy rain the combined system can be overwhelmed, causing manholes to surcharge even without a blockage in the traditional sense.
Building work nearby, fly-tipped material in back courts or large objects flushed into the system can cause sudden complete blockages that surcharge the nearest inspection chamber quickly.
Good news: every one of these has a clean, proven fix, and we'll show you exactly what we found.
Get it fixedDavid and Chris are Glasgow-based and respond personally to every emergency callout. You speak to the engineer who is coming to your door.
Overflowing manhole callouts go to the top of the queue. We treat sewage overflow as the emergency it is, not as a standard drain job.
Fully insured for every job including sewage clearance and shared sewer work. Certificate available on request.
We tell you on the callout whether the blockage is on your private drain, a shared drain or Scottish Water's sewer. You are not left guessing or paying for work that is not yours.
We inspect the sewer after clearing to confirm the blockage is fully gone and check the condition of the pipe. If a repair is needed we tell you what it is and quote separately.
The price is confirmed before we start and does not change because it is an emergency or because it is 2am.
High-pressure water jetting at up to 4,000 PSI is the primary tool for clearing a blocked sewer. Running from the inspection chamber downstream, jetting breaks up fat, wipe accumulations and silt deposits and flushes them through the sewer run completely. It clears the full bore of the pipe rather than creating a small channel through the blockage that will re-block within days.
Mechanical rodding and root cutting equipment handles solid blockages and root ingress in the sewer run. Root cutting is particularly important in Glasgow's older streets where established trees have had decades to grow into clay sewer joints. Mechanical cutting removes the root mass; CCTV then shows us the joint condition so we can advise whether a repair or lining is needed.
HD CCTV cameras with distance metering give us a live view inside the sewer from the inspection chamber. We see exactly where the blockage is, what caused it, and the structural condition of the pipe. We show you the footage so you can see for yourself, and so you have documented evidence if Scottish Water needs to be involved.
No call-out fee, even on emergency sewage callouts. You pay only if you go ahead with the work, and the price is confirmed in writing before the engineer sets off.
There is no surcharge for emergency callouts, nights, weekends or bank holidays. The price quoted at midnight on a Saturday is the same price quoted at any other time.
If the blockage is on Scottish Water's sewer, there is no charge for identifying that and advising you. If the CCTV shows a structural repair is needed after clearing, we provide a written quote and nothing proceeds without your agreement.
Local engineers across Glasgow and a 50-mile radius. Tap your town for overflowing manhole response times in your area.
109 areas · 50 mile radius from Glasgow
28 areas
Don't see your area? Call 0141 461 3511 and we likely still cover you.
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Speak to a local Glasgow engineer in seconds. Fixed pricing, no call-out fee, and a 15-45 minute response across the West of Scotland.
