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problem109 · Apr 20, 2009, 04:29 PM

I have a problem. I own a house in Glenolden Pa. Recently I had a major sewer issue, my main sewer got clogged. My husband ran a snake he rented from Home Depot to clean it out. The sake kept getting stuck at one point in our front. So my husband being a contractor decided to dig up the pipe himself. Everything was fine, he broke a piece off to clean the inside which he did and then wanted to replace the part part he took out with a new pipe(We were going to hire a contractor to do that part) However he found another problem the part of the pipe that goes from our sidewalk into the street was also clogged. He tried to clean that out but no use and the plummer said that if he could not get that cleaned that meant the main pipe is clogged which is the boroughs problem. So we called the borough but they basically blamed it on us. We paid over 400 to have a guy with a camera look under the street to check the problem. However the camera could not get t our house because the neighbor house is clogged.So the borough has to come and clean out the main pipe.

To get to my question "Who is responsible to pay for all this work?" The borough want us to pay but I think it's absurd because it's a pipe running under the street not my house. Can someone give me legal advice on what I am responsible of paying and what the borough should cover. I pay sewer taxes ever year for what?

Please Help!

21boat · Apr 20, 2009, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by ;

However the camera could not get t our house because the neighbor house is clogged.So the borough has to come and clean out the main pipe.

Are you at the end for tie in? Is the neighbor laterial tied into you directly?
I can't speak for there but it its in the street it should NOT be your problem. If the street main was slowly backing up then that could effect all the lateral tie ins as well. That's basic science.

Now the scary thing is is the main sloped right and big enough to handle the laterals it carries??

Also is every one there pouring grease down the drain??

Been through this before and it took an attorneys letter to solve who responsible for what. Again not legal advice and don't know the borough laws there.

problem109 · Apr 20, 2009, 05:14 PM

No the neighbor is not connected to me at all. I have a single home. How do I find out the boroughs rules and regulations? I can't find it online. Do I go to the building directly?

21boat · Apr 20, 2009, 05:30 PM

Go to the township/borough and ask for the by laws concerning sewer connections/regs etc. They may not be real friendly since boroughs are small towns. It is public informant. Normally in a city the owner is responsible to the curb stop for township water. The sewer usually is at that stop gap too. Part of the reason is the borough needs to protect there main lines from anyone from digging it up. We carry an "Open street bonding" that allows us to dig up street and tie into the main for new service. It's a way for the borough/city to control bona fide contractors to touch the public sewer and they have control on the repairs and proper work being done and the Open street bonding, Insures the work we do on city property.

problem109 · Apr 20, 2009, 05:53 PM

Thank you for your help. I will go to the borough tomorrow and find out my rights. Thank you again.

21boat · Apr 20, 2009, 06:44 PM

Good luck hope it goes well.