Water in the basement or garden level: start here
Hoboken has 60,419 residents (2020 census) in 1.25 square miles of land, and parts of the city sit below sea level. When heavy rain overwhelms the streets, the first place the water shows is a basement floor drain or a garden-level bathroom, and that is the call our 24/7 line gets most often from this city.
If water is coming up, stop using sinks, tubs and the washer so the load on the line drops. Then call dispatch and tell us the street, the floor and whether the water is still rising.
Hoboken at a glance for plumbing
Four facts that explain why water problems in the city follow a pattern.
What Hurricane Sandy changed about basements here
In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy sent seawater across about half the city and flooded roughly 1,700 homes. Since then the city has built parks designed to hold storm water, and owners of low buildings have reason to ask what protects their own drains.
The 7th and Jackson Resiliency Park, opened in 2019, captures more than 450,000 gallons. The Northwest Resiliency Park, opened in June 2023, can hold up to 2 million gallons. In a September 2023 storm of 3.5 inches of rain, standing water stayed at only 3 of 277 intersections, but that does not stop a private basement drain from backing up.
Why a rainstorm can back up a private drain
The Authority's combined sewers carry rain and waste together, with overflow outfalls that open in big storms. When the main fills, wastewater can push back up the lateral toward a basement drain, whatever shape your own pipes are in.
Clearing your line with drain cleaning helps when roots, grease or paper are the cause. If the backup comes only during heavy rain and clears afterward, report it to the Authority too.
| Level of the building | Typical water problem | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Garden-level apartment | Floor drain backup, bathroom fixtures slow in rain | Line cleaning, then a check for a backwater valve |
| Basement of a brownstone | Seepage at the wall, sump pit overflow | Pump test or replacement, see sump pump service |
| Upper floors | Leak from a floor above, tub spout drip | Leak tracing and a shutoff talk with the landlord |
| Ground-floor shop on Washington Street | Grease clog, restroom stoppage after hours | Cable or jetting visit, outside business hours if possible |
A plumber does not repair masonry cracks or seal foundation walls from the outside. That work falls to a waterproofing contractor, and our basement waterproofing page explains where plumbing ends and masonry begins.
What to do in the next ten minutes
These moves help most when water is already on the floor of a Hoboken basement.
- Stop adding waterHold off on the shower, washer and dishwasher until we have looked at the line.
- Mind the electricsShut power to a flooded basement only if the panel is dry and reachable. Otherwise stay out and call.
- Raise what you canLift boxes, rugs and appliances off the floor and move them upstairs.
- Report the address clearlyGive the street, the floor and whether the building is a row house, walk-up or mixed use.
Basement drain gurgling or sump pump quiet?
The 24/7 line books the next open plumber. Tell dispatch the street and level of the building.
Washington Street, the PATH and landlords
Washington Street, which locals call the avenue, runs through a city where 56 percent of working residents commute by public transit, and the PATH runs from Hoboken Terminal. Shops along it and apartments above share risers and drains with each other, so one stoppage can affect several tenants.
If you rent, tell the landlord first and take photos. If water is actively spreading, call us right away and keep the dispatcher's name and call time.
Towns up the river
Our Weehawken page covers the cliff-top town just north, and the West New York page covers the Boulevard East side beyond it.
Hoboken service area
The map is centered on Hoboken, along the Hudson River, with Weehawken to the north and Jersey City to the south.
Hoboken plumbing questions
Yes. The dispatch line answers 24 hours a day, every day, and we book same-day appointments when a plumber is free. Call (551) 249-3045 with the street, floor and whether water is still coming in.
Yes. Hoboken uses the single ZIP code 07030, and we dispatch to every address in it, from the waterfront and Hoboken Terminal to the blocks along Washington Street.
It depends on where the water enters and how often. A plumber can check for a sump pit, test a pump and advise, but seepage through foundation walls may also need a waterproofing contractor.
If it clears after we clean your line, it was probably yours. If it returns only in heavy rain, the public combined sewer is a likely cause, so report it to the Authority.
The city page names Veolia as the provider. Ask Veolia for its latest quality report, which you can look up by ZIP, and test your tap if you have a concern.
Still have a question? A dispatcher answers around the clock.
Call (551) 249-3045Public sources behind Hoboken plumbing
According to these official pages, the rules and safety steps mentioned here apply in New Jersey. Check them for your own address, since rules can change.
- New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Uniform Construction Code general information: permit and inspection rules for plumbing work on existing buildings.
- NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers FAQ: who may perform plumbing work and what a licensed business must display.
- North Hudson Sewerage Authority, about the system: the towns it serves and its combined sewer network.
- PSE&G, what to do if you smell gas: the leave-first steps and the gas emergency line.