When sewage starts backing up, the instinct is to call the first plumber you can find. In Sarasota, it often pays to make a different call first. Here is how to tell whose problem it is, and who to call.
Step 1: How many fixtures are affected?
- One fixture, or one bathroom: the blockage is almost certainly in your own plumbing. Call a plumber or drain service.
- Most or all fixtures in the building: the blockage is in your main line or in the public sewer beyond it. Call the utility first.
- Neighbors have the same problem: very likely the public main. Call the utility.
Step 2: Figure out who your sewer utility is
Your sewer bill names it. In the Sarasota area it is usually one of these:
| Utility | Serves | Sewer emergency number |
|---|---|---|
| City of Sarasota Utilities | Properties inside Sarasota city limits | 941-263-6884, option 2, 24 hours |
| Sarasota County Utilities | Most of unincorporated Sarasota County | 941-861-6790; after hours 941-316-1201 |
| Private franchise utilities | Some neighborhoods in the county | Number on your bill |
| Manatee County provider | The Manatee County part of the 34243 ZIP code | Number on your bill |
Numbers as published on sarasotafl.gov and scgov.net, checked October 2026. Always confirm with your bill.
A Sarasota mailing address is not proof of being in the City. Gulf Gate Estates, Fruitville, The Meadows, Palmer Ranch and most of Siesta Key, for example, are unincorporated Sarasota County.
Step 3: Call the utility and describe what is happening
The City of Sarasota's published guidance says staff will help diagnose the problem over the phone and, if the blockage is in City pipes, crews typically arrive within about 30 minutes and clear it at no charge. The City also says that if you call a plumber first and the blockage turns out to be in its pipes, it is not obligated to reimburse you or the plumber.
Why this matters: paying a contractor to clear a line that the utility would have cleared for free is money you will not get back. A two-minute call first costs nothing.
Step 4: If the utility says their line is clear
Then the blockage is on your side, in the private line between the house and the public sewer. That is when to call us. We clear the line, then camera-inspect it to find out why it blocked.
While you wait
- Stop using water in the house.
- Keep people and pets away from any sewage.
- Do not pour chemical drain cleaner into the line.
- If water is near electrical outlets or appliances, stay clear of it.
Our emergency sewer page has more detail, and if backups keep returning, see sewer backup diagnosis. If the damage turns out to be in the lateral near the street, our page on sewer lateral repair explains how responsibility is split.