A Good Tip

Dear Editor:

There has been a lot of concern about sewers recently, with good cause.

God only knows how much sand and debris is clogging the pipes. We have lived in an almost 100-year-old house on the bay block in Belle Harbor for over 40 years. We needed to have our water line replaced by O’Grady Plumbing about 35 years ago. The ancient waste line is still holding but who knows for how long. We recently had a waste line clog backing up into our basement toilet. After scratching my head, I remembered we have a service contract connected to our water bill with American Water Resources. The service includes clearing, or if needed, replacing the waste line and repairing or replacing the freshwater line into the house.

I contacted the emergency number for American Water Resources, 888-300-3570, and we had technicians arrive within two hours. They used a 4,000 psi (pounds per square inch) hose to clear the waste line. From start to finish, the work took about a half an hour. The service is available 24/7 including weekends and holidays. I asked the technician how much this would cost if we did not have a service contract. He estimated $800 to $1,200. If the freshwater line or waste line breaks, the repair involves digging a big hole in the street and on your property to replace the pipe, costing many thousands of dollars.

I encourage everyone to check with NYCDEP to see if you have this service plan. I think the premium is about $15 a month and is included in your water bill. The service plan is voluntary, but I would highly recommend this one.

Sean Kellar