Columbus, OH · Issue Report

Sewage backups in Columbus

The read computed from 694 reports · JAN 2025 – JUN 2026

Columbus logged about 700 sewage reports in the last 18 months. That is about one of every 100 complaints filed with code enforcement. Nearly every one is scored severe or critical. Inspectors treat these as habitability problems, not nuisances. Reports are increasing, with 2026 so far running about 35% ahead of the same months last year. Sewage reports hold steady across the year. There is no season when they stop. No neighborhood is spared, but rates run highest in Driving Park and Berwick.

1 in 100
share of all reports
694 reports on file
Increasing
2026 vs same months 2025
+35% so far this year
Year-round
no peak season
reports hold level across the year
Renting or buying

Renting or about to?

Sewage backups point at aging drain stacks, and buildings with sewage reports are far more likely to also have mold reports on file. Check both at the address.

In older multi-unit buildings, ask when the main drain line was last cleaned or scoped.

Check an address on the live map →
Right now

Dealing with it right now?

Photograph the backup and anything it damaged before cleanup, then report it to 311 with the address. Nearly every sewage report in this data is scored critical.

In a rental the landlord handles the plumbing failure and the sanitation. If the backup came from the city main rather than the building, tell 311 that when you call, because that routes differently.

Owners

Landlord or property manager?

Clearing and scoping drain lines before backups reach a unit prevents the worst reports filed here. Document the cleanup, because damage disputes follow these.

When it gets reported

Share of the year's reports landing in each month, corrected for how many times each month appears in the data window.
January · 8% of the year's reportsJFebruary · 6% of the year's reportsFMarch · 9% of the year's reportsMApril · 8% of the year's reportsAMay · 9% of the year's reportsMJune · 10% of the year's reportsJJuly · 11% of the year's reportsJAugust · 9% of the year's reportsASeptember · 10% of the year's reportsSOctober · 6% of the year's reportsONovember · 4% of the year's reportsNDecember · 10% of the year's reportsD

Reports hold roughly level across the year. Whatever drives sewage backups does not follow the weather.

All sewage reports by month latest month: 48
48 JAN '25 JUN '26

Where it's most reported

Neighborhoods ranked by rate, meaning each category's share of the neighborhood's reports against its citywide share, so big neighborhoods don't win just for being big. Only rates with enough reports behind them are listed.
#1Driving Park2.9×18 reports #2Berwick1.9×30 reports
Low Moderate Severe Critical
Open the live map filtered to sewage backups →
Each dot is one report, colored by severity. The live map adds search, filters, and the Block Report.

Often reported with

What else shows up at the same addresses. Address-level comparison, so this reads as a building-quality signal, not a coincidence of one phone call.
Mold & water damageAddresses with sewage reports are about five times as likely to also have mold and water damage reports on file.→ Smoke detectors & fire hazardsAddresses with sewage reports are about five times as likely to also have fire safety reports on file.→ Raccoons & wildlifeAddresses with sewage reports are about three times as likely to also have wildlife reports on file.→ No heat & shut-off utilitiesAddresses with sewage reports are about three times as likely to also have heat and utility reports on file.→

What people describe

The words that come up most in these reports, from the complaint narratives. Counts are reports mentioning each phrase.
raw sewage111 feces242 basement146 sewage backup74 human89 smell82 water138 toilet77

Common questions

How do I report sewage backups in Columbus?

Report it to 311 right away with the address and where the sewage is coming up. Photograph the damage before cleaning. In a rental the landlord is responsible for the repair and cleanup. If it is coming from the city main, say so.

Are sewage reports in Columbus going up?

Yes. Sewage reports so far this year are running about 35% ahead of the same months last year.

Where are sewage reports most common in Columbus?

Rates run highest in Driving Park and Berwick, comparing each neighborhood's share of reports against the citywide share. No neighborhood is entirely without them.

Who is responsible for fixing sewage backups?

Inside a rental building, the owner is responsible for the drain lines and for cleaning up a backup. Backups caused by the city main are the city’s side, which is why it matters to say where it is coming from when you report.

Looking at a specific address?

Get the full Block Report, covering what's been reported at that exact address, the same building, and chronic neighbors within a third of a mile.

Search an address →
Source & method

What counts here. Reports of sewage backing up into a home, raw waste, or failed drains and toilets. Animal waste complaints are counted separately under trash.

Data comes from official City of Columbus code enforcement records (Accela portal + ArcGIS REST API). Reports are categorized by keyword matching on complaint narratives and city record types, so counts are reports filed, not verified conditions, and automated matching can misfile individual records. The data window covers JAN 2025 – JUN 2026, so month-of-year patterns will sharpen as full years accrue.