By Jacky Gerzema
Residents say that when it rains, they have seen the refuse seeping through manhole covers and flowing onto the streets. In response to the complaints, legislators Michael Zapson (D-Long Beach) and Joseph Scannell (D-Baldwin) met with residents last month and promised to find a solution.
Ed Gauss said the problem has been going on since 1983 and he has been keeping track of the situation. "Every time there's a large amount of rain, the sewage sometimes shoots three feet into the air," he said. "This is a quality of life issue as well. The liquid could carry hepatitis...it's not safe."
Sewage has even leaked into one home, Gauss said.
"There is a terrible, terrible smell and I see it in the street," said neighbor Jean Silano.
Scannell said he was first made aware of the problem this year. "This is a horrible situation," Scannell said. "People should not have to live in these conditions. It's completely unacceptable."
Joseph Pecora, commissioner of Public Works, said there are two possible reasons for the sewage problem. There may be a restriction, which he said was probably not the case, due to previous studies. The other reason could be that water, which shouldn't be there, is entering the sewage system.
Pecora said that because the problem seems to occur only at times of heavy rain in a short time period, he thinks water could be entering the sewage system when it is supposed to be flowing through the storm drainage system.
In the next few weeks, a consultant will be doing a hydraulic flow study to determine exactly what is flowing through the pipes, Pecora said.
"I am happy to hear that the department will hire a special consultant to do a survey, which they don't normally do," Scannell said.
