Water damage restoration help in Little Rock
Burst pipe, wet crawl space, sewer backup or storm water? Start with the right first call.
A referral service, not a contractor. Your callback request is passed to an independent restoration company that works your part of central Arkansas. Riverstage does not perform the extraction, drying or repairs.
Numbers to keep handy
- 501-377-1239
- Central Arkansas Water emergency line
- 501-223-1509
- Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority, sewer emergencies
- 800-992-7552
- Summit Utilities, gas leaks (after leaving and calling 911)
Arkansas River at Little Rock
NWS gauge LITA4stage in feet
- 29.71 ftJun 5, 2019
The 2019 flood crest, the tallest on this gauge since April 1945. Baring Cross, Dixie and Eastgate in North Little Rock are listed as affected near 29 feet.
- 27 ftMajor
Backwater from Shillcutt Bayou near 37th and 38th streets; the County Farm Road area floods from the Little Maumelle. The May 8, 1990 crest was 27.7.
- 25 ftModerate
Low ground near the White Oak and Shillcutt bayous on the North Little Rock side; lower Burns Park under backwater.
- 23 ftFlood stage
Bankfull. Murray Park, Riverfront Park and Rebsamen Park Golf Course partly flooded.
- 18 ftAction
The Clinton Presidential Park wetlands, Cooks Landing and River Trail stretches go under.
- Below 18 ftNormal
The river sits well below action stage. Most water damage here starts inside the house, from a pipe, an appliance, a roof or a sewer line.
Where did the water come from?
Each source has a different first call. Make that call, then read the page for what usually comes next.
- First
- Close the house shutoff valve, or the valve under the fixture.
- Utility
- Leak at the meter or in the street: Central Arkansas Water emergency line 501-377-1239
- Next
- Burst and frozen pipes
- First
- Stop running water, flushing and laundry.
- Utility
- Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority 501-223-1509; North Little Rock Wastewater 501-945-7186
- Next
- Sewer backup cleanup
- First
- Watch the meter with every tap off. If it moves, a supply line is leaking.
- Utility
- Only if the leak is on the utility's side of the meter
- Next
- Crawl space and slab water
- First
- Close the valve behind the washer, water heater, dishwasher or ice maker.
- Power
- Keep out if water reaches outlets, cords or the panel.
- Next
- Water removal
- First
- Leave rooms with sagging ceilings. Call 911 if the structure looks unsafe.
- Gas
- Smell gas? Leave, then call 911 and Summit Utilities 800-992-7552
- Next
- Storm and roof water
- First
- Stay out of moving water. Call 911 if anyone is trapped.
- Watch
- River stages and warnings on the NWS Little Rock pages
- Next
- River, creek and freeze guide
Two days to get things dry
The Environmental Protection Agency's mold and moisture guide puts it plainly: when wet materials are dried within 24 to 48 hours of a leak or spill, mold will not grow in most cases. That window is the reason restoration companies push to start fast, and the reason a towel and a box fan rarely do enough once water has soaked into a wall, a subfloor or the soil under a crawl space.
In central Arkansas the clock runs against you in summer. Warm, damp air slows drying. The EPA suggests keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50, and says a humidity meter costs about $10 to $50 at a hardware store.
Make it safe, stop the source, take photos before anything moves.
Standing water out; wet pad, insulation and soaked drywall cut away.
Drying equipment running and readings taken. EPA's line for mold.
Pick the problem you have
Standing water
Pumps, truck-mounted extraction and what the first visit usually covers.
Water removal → 02Crawl space or slab
Water under a raised floor, or a leak under concrete that shows up at the baseboards.
Crawl spaces → 03Burst or frozen pipe
What the February 2021 cold taught Little Rock about pipes in outside walls.
Pipes → 04Sewer backup
Whose line is it, who to call first, and why sewage cleanup is a different job.
Sewer → 05Storm, flash flood or roof
Rock Creek, Fourche Creek and the March 2023 tornado path through west Little Rock.
Storms → $What it costs
National price ranges from named cost guides, and what pushes a bill up here.
Cost guide →How Little Rock houses take on water
Cold that the houses weren't built for. In February 2021 Little Rock had 20.3 inches of snow in one month, its snowiest month on record, and the thermometer reached −1°F. Pipes in exterior walls and crawl spaces freeze in weather like that, and the damage shows up when they thaw. In December 2022 the cold froze a gas regulator station in the Rock Creek area and cut service to about 100 Summit Utilities customers for a time.
Creeks that rise in an hour. An EPA watershed report says the Fourche Creek watershed drains more than 99 percent of the Little Rock metro area. In the 1978 storm, Rock Creek knocked homes off their foundations in the Boyle Park area and sewers backed up across western Little Rock.
Wind that opens roofs. The 2023 tornado crossed Chenal Parkway, Shackleford Road, I-430 and Cantrell Road before it jumped the river into North Little Rock, Sherwood and Jacksonville. Homes that kept their walls still lost roofing, and rain followed.
A river that rarely reaches houses. The gauge notes above name the low places that flood first. Beyond those, the river shows up mostly as backwater pushed up Fourche Creek and the bayous. The river, creek and freeze guide has the dates and sources.
Both banks of the river, and down I-30
Inside Little Rock that means the 722 ZIP codes: Hillcrest, the Heights, SoMa, downtown, Chenal and the rest of west Little Rock. Across the river, North Little Rock has its own sewer utility. These town pages carry the local numbers and history.
What to settle with any company
- A written scope. What gets extracted, what gets cut out, how many drying machines and for how many days, and whether rebuilding is part of the job or a separate contract.
- Moisture readings. Ask what reading counts as dry for your floor, walls and framing, and ask for the final numbers in writing.
- A certificate of liability insurance before anyone opens a wall.
- Who pulls permits for the rebuild. In Little Rock the Planning and Development building permit desk is at 501-371-4832. Drying alone may not need a permit; new wiring, plumbing or framing often does. Ask the desk.
- Time to read the contract. Read every page, including any assignment or direction-to-pay form, and keep a copy.
Questions people ask first
Is Riverstage Water Help a restoration company?
No. It is a referral service. Your form request is passed on to an independent restoration company that serves your area. That company does the inspection, extraction and drying, and it sets its own prices.
Where is my water shutoff valve?
Central Arkansas Water says it has no records of where a home's own shutoff valve or pressure regulator is. Its FAQ says homes should have a customer shutoff valve outside the meter box that turns off water to the whole house; the valve on the meter itself is for utility crews. Look between the meter and the house, then where the line enters the house. Mark it once you find it.
Who do I call about a water main break versus a sewer backup?
Drinking water in Little Rock and North Little Rock comes from Central Arkansas Water. Its emergency number is 501-377-1239 and its line for reporting breaks or leaks is 501-223-1550. Sewer is a separate utility. In Little Rock call the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority at 501-223-1509; in North Little Rock call North Little Rock Wastewater at 501-945-7186.
How long before mold starts growing?
The EPA's guidance is that materials dried within 24 to 48 hours usually will not grow mold. If you already see or smell mold, an assessment is a separate specialist job, and mold remediation is outside what this line refers. The mold and drying guide covers the warning signs.
There is a boil-water notice. Does that change the cleanup?
Central Arkansas Water says a boil order is not needed every time water is shut off; when one is issued, it notifies people by door hanger or signs and through the media. During a notice, the CDC says to bring clear water to a rolling boil for 1 minute before drinking it, and notes that boiling does not remove chemicals. Ask the restoration company what water it will use to clean.
Is a sewer backup the same as a flood for insurance?
They are usually treated as different things. State insurance regulators such as Minnesota's Commerce Department describe sewer backup coverage as an endorsement that varies from company to company, and say it is not flood insurance. Whether your policy pays is a question for your agent or insurer; this line cannot answer it.
Should I run fans while I wait?
Only if the power in that area is safe and the water was clean. The EPA warns against running fans where mold has already started, because fans spread spores. Leave sewage-soaked materials alone.
My floors look dry. Can water still be under the house?
Yes. Water that runs off a floor often ends up on the crawl space ground or in the insulation under the subfloor. A company with a moisture meter or thermal camera can check. The crawl space page explains what to look for.
Will someone come out tonight?
That depends on the company and how busy it is. After a hard freeze or a big storm, many companies fill up. This service cannot promise an arrival time; ask the company directly when you speak with it.
Do I need a permit for repairs in Little Rock?
Ask the City of Little Rock building permit desk at 501-371-4832. Outside city limits, check with the town or county where the house sits.