South Ozone Park Sewage Floods Caused By Collapsed Pipe: Report

SOUTH OZONE PARK, QUEENS — A clogged sewer line that sent raw sewage flooding into South Ozone Park homes just after Thanksgiving was caused by a collapsed pipe, according to a news report.

An investigation by the city's Department of Environmental Protection, which has not been made public but was obtained by The New York Times, found that the city was to blame for the backup — not residents pouring cooking grease down their drains, as had been suggested.

"D.E.P. accepts responsibility," says the report, according to The Times.

Officials have started building a new sewer line around the collapsed pipe, which isn't possible to repair, The Times reported. The fix will cost about $9 million.

Well, I hate to say I TOLD YOU SO, but... https://t.co/8axPLsHDpK
— Adrienne Adams (@AdrienneEAdams) December 19, 2019

Brown, foul-smelling wastewater started pouring into an estimated 127 homes the morning of Nov. 30, filling basements with knee-high levels of sewage and forcing residents to flee to hotel rooms or, in some cases, sleep in their cars.

The floods didn't stop until over a day later, when workers managed to install bypass system to carry wastewater around the blocked sewer line.

At an oversight hearing last week, City Council representatives criticized officials as being slow to respond to the crisis and decried the cooking-grease narrative shared with some news reporters.

"They certainly didn't deserve to be publicly shamed in the midst of a tragedy," said City Council Member Adrienne Adams, who represents the area affected by the sewage backup.

The city has hired seven contractors to help clean up the mess caused by the sewage flood, and Mayor Bill de Blasio promised residents that the city would pay for repairs to damaged boilers or hot water heaters.

Residents may also file claim forms within 90 days to get reimbursed for damages.

To get reimbursed for any damage, affected homeowners can click here to fill out a claim. To view a full list of available resources, click here.