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Resident Terry Babby asks Glens Falls water board to explore billing options after pipe burst
Summary
At the June 1 Water and Sewer Board meeting, property owner Terry Babby described a burst pipe and extensive water damage and asked the board to investigate payment-plan options; the board voted to table the request and seek guidance from the controller.
Terry Babby, a Glens Falls property owner, told the Water and Sewer Board on June 1 that a burst water line and ongoing refill of a toilet valve caused major water damage at his rental on Three New Street and left him facing an unaffordable bill.
"I own a property on Three New Street… I intended on paying them all up and redoing the house this summer, but with the amount of the water bill I'm going to have to put that on hold," Babby said, adding that he had paid property taxes through 2026 but is dealing with recent personal and tenant-related hardships.
Babby said frozen PEX pipes and a continuously refilling toilet were the likely cause of the leak and that he missed a scheduled natural-gas inspection while out of state; National Grid later shut off his gas. He told the board he will explore insurance or legal recourse but asked whether the board could help with the water charge.
A board member asked staff to explore payment-plan options and consult the city controller. The board moved to table Babby’s request pending that controller input, the motion was seconded, and members voted in favor. No roll-call votes or individual tallies were provided at the meeting.
The board did not adopt a specific relief measure at the meeting; staff said they will return with options after consulting the controller.
The board's next regular meeting is scheduled for July 6 at 2 p.m.; a special workshop is likely June 17 where staff said they expect to address several procurement items.
