Not every drainage problem is an emergency, and knowing the difference saves you money and saves the emergency slots for the people who need them. Here is how we would draw the line, based on the calls we take across Sharjah every week.
Call now: these cannot wait
- A tank that is overflowing, or sewage visible above the tank cover or a manhole
- Sewage backing up into a toilet, floor drain or basement inside the building
- Standing sewage water where people have to walk or work
- A labour camp or building where the tank is full and hundreds of people are still using water
- A construction excavation or pit filling with water and stopping the work
- A restaurant or shop drain that has stopped draining during trading hours
In all of these, the cost of waiting is measured in spread, contamination or lost trading. Call rather than message; a phone call gets you an honest arrival time based on where the tankers actually are. AL NISR DRAINAGE answers +971 54 246 3788 around the clock — see our emergency drainage service.
Book for tomorrow: these can wait, briefly
- Drains running slower than usual, but still draining
- A faint sewage smell near the tank cover that comes and goes
- Occasional gurgling from toilets or sinks
- A tank you know is about three-quarters full
- A grease chamber that is due its routine clean
These are warnings, not emergencies — but they are warnings that the tank or chamber is close to full. Book a routine visit in the next day or two rather than waiting for the smell to become an overflow. Our drainage cleaning service covers the chambers and manholes; sewage water removal covers the tanks.
What to have ready when you call
Whoever you call will need the same information, and having it ready gets a tanker moving faster:
- Your exact location, with a landmark, or a pin sent by WhatsApp
- What kind of tank or chamber it is, and roughly how big
- How many people the tank serves, if it is a building or a camp
- How close a tanker can park to the tank cover, and whether there is a gate or a guard
- Whether the situation is getting worse
What to do while you wait
Stop using water at the property — every flush and every tap adds to the overflow. Keep people and animals away from any standing sewage. Do not open the tank cover, and do not hose the overflow towards the road or a storm drain; that turns your problem into an illegal discharge. Make sure the gate will be open and someone is available to show the driver the tank. Our guide on what to do when your sewage tank overflows goes through these steps in more detail.
Avoiding the next emergency
Almost every emergency call is a routine job that was left too long. Once the tanker has cleared the problem, ask the driver why it happened — too long between collections, a tank that has lost capacity to sludge, a change in occupancy — and fix that. A scheduled collection matched to your tank and your numbers is cheaper than any emergency, and it means you never make this call again.