Baltimore City is not Baltimore County
Catonsville sits in Baltimore County, and Baltimore City is a separate jurisdiction that borders it on the east. That matters for water. The city runs its own permits, its own 311 reporting and its own cleanup programs, and the county runs different ones. Know which side of the line your building is on before you call an office.
| Question. | Baltimore City. | Baltimore County. |
|---|---|---|
| Report a sewer backup. | Call 311. | Call the county sewer line. |
| Building permits. | Department of Housing and Community Development. | Permits, Approvals and Inspections. |
| Cleanup help. | SOS Cleanup Program for eligible basement sewage backups. | Not the same program. |
| Water service. | City provides it. | City also supplies county water. |
Baltimore County itself says Baltimore City is responsible for water service in the county. The city's reservoirs are Liberty, Loch Raven and Prettyboy. A main break outside your house is a city job, and the damage inside is ours.
What the city program does and does not do
Baltimore City's SOS Cleanup Program offers free cleanup for eligible basement sewage backups, and residents report the problem to 311. The city also has an Expedited Reimbursement program, and a household gets one program, not both. Ask 311 which applies before you hire anyone.
For other water, such as burst pipes, appliance floods or roof leaks, the city program does not apply and you handle it through your insurer and a restoration company. Our sewage backup page explains the contaminated-water process.
Before we arrive in Baltimore
Stop the source.
Close the fixture valve or the main. For sewage, stop using water in the building.
Mind electrical safety.
Keep out of water near outlets, and cut power only from a dry spot.
Raise valuables.
Move electronics, papers and keepsakes above the water line.
Document the loss.
Photograph the water and the damage for the city program or your insurer.
Note the building type.
Rowhouse, apartment, office or house, since access and shared walls differ.
Tell us about neighbors.
Say if the water came from or is reaching an adjoining unit.
Rowhouses, apartments and offices
Baltimore buildings often share walls, floors and plumbing stacks. A leak in one unit reaches the next, and a backup in a shared line affects several basements at once. Drying a rowhouse means working around party walls, so the plan has to be built with neighbors in mind.
Offices and shops in the city face the same issue on a larger scale. See commercial restoration for large-building drying, and basement cleanup for the lower levels that many city homes have.
Whether the water came from a pipe or from the sewer, the ANSI/IICRC S500 category rules decide what is dried and what is removed. Tell the dispatcher the source so the plan starts on the right category.
Water damage in Baltimore?
Call the 24/7 line with your ZIP code and the source.
ZIP codes we list in Baltimore
The ZIP codes above are the ones we list for Baltimore. ZIP code 21206 is the largest by population at about 49,470 people and includes the Raspeburg area. ZIP code 21209 covers Mount Washington and has about 28,659 people. ZIP code 21202 has about 22,247 people, 21201 about 18,382 and 21205 about 14,691. ZIP code 21203 is a PO box ZIP code with no residents.
Nearby areas such as 21229, 21223 and 21216 are close to Catonsville but are not on our list. If you live in one of them, call anyway and the dispatcher will tell you whether a crew can reach your address.
Remove contaminated materials.
Porous materials soaked in sewage or floodwater come out.
Clean and sanitize.
Surfaces are treated.
Dry and verify.
Equipment runs until readings pass.
Baltimore on the map
Cost and insurance
Cost depends on water category, floors affected and drying days. The Maryland Insurance Administration says sewer or water backup coverage typically needs an endorsement and that homeowners policies generally exclude flood. Ask your insurer. Neighbors in Ellicott City work under Howard County rules instead, and the line can give a real number.
Baltimore questions
No. We list 21206, 21209, 21205, 21202, 21201 and 21203. Other city ZIP codes may be reachable, so give your address on the call and the dispatcher will confirm.
Yes. The line is open 24/7, and a same-day response is planned when a crew is available. Give your ZIP code, the source and what is wet.
Report the backup to 311 and ask about the SOS Cleanup Program, since eligible basement backups may be cleaned free. If it does not apply, call us.
The city says a household gets one of its two programs, not both. Insurance is separate, so check your policy and ask your insurer.
Yes. Tell the dispatcher about neighbors, because water often travels through party walls and drying has to be planned around them.