Scioto County Sanitary Engineering Department | Professional Plumber in Portsmouth, OH

Plumbing inspections are a key part of our service to protect Portsmouth's shared sewer system and your property. We inspect to ensure proper connections and that no unauthorized drainage, like downspouts or sump pumps, is entering the sanitary sewer. This helps prevent system overloads during heavy rain, which can lead to backups in homes and neighborhoods. It also verifies that there are no illegal cross-connections that could allow sewer gas into your home. For residents, this inspection is often required when selling a home or after significant plumbing work to confirm everything meets county code.

Yes, a burst laundry hose can directly impact your sewer bill here in Portsmouth. Since your sewer charge is calculated based on your water meter reading, all the water from that leak—even though it didn't go down a drain—will be counted as usage. This can cause a significant, unexpected increase on your bill. We recommend promptly repairing any leaks and checking your shutoff valves. If you notice a sudden spike in your bill that you believe is due to a leak, contact our office. While we cannot adjust bills for consumption, we can review your account history and help you understand the charges. Ensuring your interior plumbing is in good repair protects you from high bills and helps conserve water.

We offer several convenient ways to pay your sewer bill in Portsmouth. You can pay online through our secure portal, set up automatic bank drafts for worry-free payments, use our 24/7 secure drop box at our office, or pay in person with cash during designated morning hours. If a payment is late, a 10% late fee is applied to the current balance due. We encourage setting up auto-pay or online reminders to avoid this fee. For detailed instructions on any payment method, please visit our website or call our office during business hours, Monday through Friday.