Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Maintenance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident says sewer 'fatberg' backed up into basement; files notice of claim
Summary
A Poughkeepsie resident reported repeated sewer backups that she said were caused by a large external fat accumulation and has filed a notice of claim seeking compensation for about $2,300 in plumbing costs; the council deferred the claim to corporation counsel.
A city resident told the Poughkeepsie City Common Council on Oct. 7 that raw sewage backed up into her basement on two occasions in mid- to late September, and that the city contractor’s camera inspection found the problem in the street — a large accumulation described by the contractor as a "fatberg." She said she followed the city's notice-of-claim process and is seeking compensation for approximately $2,300 in plumbing-related expenses.
Laurel Spiller said city or contractor staff initially found only small root obstructions when they snaked the line, then returned with a camera and identified the blockage in the public sewer near the street. She said neighbors smelled and heard the backup; Cleveland (the contractor named in the comments) told her the blockage had been growing for years. Spiller said she was told by counsel that the claim will be forwarded to the company that maintains the sewer system.
Council action at the meeting was to defer the notices of claim (including hers) to corporation counsel for review; council did not take a substantive vote on liability or compensation during the meeting.
Clarifying details collected at the meeting: Spiller reported $2,300 in out-of-pocket plumbing costs; the camera inspection reportedly found the blockage in the public sewer near the street rather than in the homeowner's private lateral; corporation counsel will coordinate review with the city's sewer maintenance contractor.
Next steps: corporation counsel will review the notice of claim and the city's contract with the sewer maintenance company; the transcript does not record a timeline for counsel’s response or a council decision on compensation.
