After a Flood: Plumbing Checks for Riverview and Mableton-Area Homes in Smyrna Helene put the Chattahoochee over its banks. Your plumbing may need a look too.

What Helene did near Riverview

The Cobb County Courier reported on September 29, 2024 that at Riverview Landing the Chattahoochee "became much, much wider" after Helene, with floodwater reaching trees on what is normally the west bank. 11Alive reported that the Eddy at Riverview, a riverside complex in Smyrna, flooded from the river's overflow, and that Riverview Road was closed between South Cobb Drive and Veterans Memorial, with access limited to Dickerson Drive and only residents of the Eddy allowed in.

The Courier's author said his own area of Mableton and adjacent Smyrna was spared the worst, while reporting serious flooding in other places, including, reportedly, the Fontaine Road area of Mableton. Flooding is uneven, so check your own home even if your street looked fine.

First: safety before plumbing

The CDC's guidance on reentering a flooded home (an archived page, last reviewed in 2007) says:

• If you can shut off the main power from a dry spot, do so. If you must stand in water to reach the switch, call an electrician.
• Never turn power on or off, or use an electric tool or appliance, while standing in water.
• Have an electrician check the electrical system before power is turned on again.
• Flooded homes may be contaminated with sewage, and the page advises wearing rubber boots in wet areas.
• Never run a gasoline engine indoors, because of carbon monoxide.

If you smell natural gas, leave and call Atlanta Gas Light at 877-427-4321. This guidance is older than most of what we cite, so also follow any current instructions from local officials.

Plumbing checks after the water leaves

1. Water heater. If it was in floodwater, have a licensed plumber check it before it is used.
2. Supply lines and shutoffs. Look for leaks at fittings and test the main shutoff.
3. Drains and fixtures. Hold off on laundry and long showers until you know the drains are flowing, since a blocked sewer can push water back into the house.
4. Sewer cleanouts. If a cleanout was underwater, have it checked for debris and a secure cap.
5. Crawl space. The CDC says to make sure crawl spaces drain and are ventilated.
6. Outdoor spigots and irrigation. Check for damage and leaks before using them.

Take photos before cleaning up, for your insurer.

Why storms cause sewer backups

Mableton has seen this before. Wikipedia says the town incorporated in 1912 and disincorporated in 1916 after a flood overwhelmed its sewer system and tax disputes followed.

HomeServe describes a backwater valve as a one-way gate in the main sewer line: wastewater flows out normally, and if pressure pushes water back toward the house, the valve closes. It says these valves are most useful in homes in areas prone to heavy rainfall or flooding, homes at a lower elevation than their surroundings and homes with basement drains. Installation may require permits and inspections, and because it involves the main sewer line it is generally a job for a plumber.

Who to call: the utility or a plumber?

For a problem with the public system, call your utility. The City of Smyrna's after-hours line for water and sewer emergencies is (770) 434-6666, and Cobb County Water System Emergency Dispatch is 770-419-6201. The City's utility FAQ says the sewer lateral from the house to the public main belongs to the homeowner, so a blockage in your lateral is a plumbing call. See our guide to who fixes what.

Before the next big storm

• Direct rainwater away from the house, as the CDC advises, by clearing gutters and downspouts.
• Test a sump or ejector pump, if you have one, before storm season.
• Ask a plumber about a backwater valve if you have low drains.
• Ask your insurer whether sewer backup is covered, and what a policy requires.
• Know your shutoffs for water and the water heater.

Our Mableton and Riverview page has local background, and drain cleaning covers backups.

Written and reviewed by Alex, a Smyrna local with an MBA who researches and edits every page on this site, citing official and published sources. Published November 3, 2026.

Plumbing work is performed by independent, licensed Georgia plumbers. General information, not legal or insurance advice.