Residents Of Second Street Near Bond Street Are Sick Of Dealing With Sewage Backflow In Their Basements

NYC DEP crew working on Second Street on November 11

 

photos above by Elizabeth Kinney

This afternoon on Second Street between Hoyt and Bond Streets

DEP worker checking on the sewer pipe on Second Place after back flow into people's homes this morning

This morning, several unfortunate residents of Second Street between Smith Street and Bond Street awoke yet again to find their basement flooded with raw sewage due to a back up in the City sewer line on their block. It was the second time this week. On Saturday November 11, at night, local residents had to deal with the same mess and spent their evening calling NYC DEP to get a crew out to unblock the pipes.

Though sewer back-ups have always been an unpleasant reality for residents living so close to the Bond Street sewer and to the Gowanus Canal, these backups are becoming more frequent, especially when rain coincides with high tide at the Gowanus Canal.   Many homeowners have installed back flow systems and check valves, but if one's neighbors have not done the same, the dirty, smelly water just seeps through the common walls anyway.

This morning's episode prompted Second Street resident Elizabeth Kenney to call DEP once again and to follow up with a letter to Community Board 6 to ask for help. Elizabeth writes:

I am a homeowner on (the 100 block) on 2nd Street between Hoyt and Bond Streets and am writing to report we currently have no sewer service on our block due to a backup in the city sewer line. Raw sewage is backing up in neighborhood homes and no sewage can go out.

311 was called and DEP alerted at 7:22 AM this morning. To compound problems, DOT is currently resurfacing our block.

The sewer backed up on 10/11 and DEP was on the scene and reported they were unable to unclog the street line and would send a crew on 10/12. No crew arrived to our knowlege and with the rain last night, we awoke to sewage in our basements.

I personally have reported the city sewer line backed up on nine occasions I have email documentation for - going back to 2013. I know other neighbors have called other times as well.

Our immediate need is to have sewer service restored. We also need to have this ongoing problem addressed. DEP agents told me Saturday pressure needs to be put on the mayor's office to have this line replaced because it is in poor condition and can't handle all of the influx of development.

They also reported on three occasions that the line was clogged with excessive amounts of kitchen grease likely from restaurants on Smith St who do not have grease traps. We would appreciate your help getting the appropriate authorities to inspect the restaurants between 1st Place and 2nd St on Smith. 

Lastly, the DEP agent Saturday said he saw a large amount of road debris in the line and thinks the DOT work on our block may have cracked the sewer line in which chase it would need to be dug up entirely. Hence him saying he would put in paperwork to have a camera crew come out the next day which we don't believe happened.

Thank you for your help with resolving this ongoing problem.

I met Elizabeth in front of her house this afternoon and she pointed to a house several doors down.  where a homeowner was pumping several feet of sewage out of his basement.

Elizabeth believes that her block on Second Street is not the only one that deals with back-ups and that the main problem seems to be the wholly insufficient Bond Street sewer  pipe, coupled with the recent construction of the 750 unit Lightstone Group development at 363 and 365 Bond Street, which appears to have aggravated the situation.  "It is a case of weak infrastructure aggravated by new construction" she feels.

Just two blocks further, on Union Street between Bond and the Canal, another owner seemed to be dealing with  his building's own sewage problems this afternoon, supporting the idea that other blocks feeding into the Bond Street sewer have issues as well.

If you live close to Bond Street and are dealing with sewage back flow in your basement, Elizabeth and PMFA would like to hear from you. Please leave a comment on the blog or on PMFA's Facebook page.

You might also want to join the Voice Of Gowanus Facebook Page to join others in the neighborhood who have the same issue.