Harmar residents urge officials to find cause of sewage backups in their basements

Harmar residents are urging officials to find a solution to the ongoing sanitary sewage overflows happening in their homes.

The issue was raised during the township supervisors meeting Thursday night.

Many residents from the Chapel Downs housing plan said they face issues of water flooding their basement or raw sewage from neighboring properties flushing into their homes.

Ruth Gee, a resident of Harmar for 52 years, said she has experienced sewage backups in her basement 10 times.

The most recent backup came in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Previously, she experienced sewage issues in 2004 when Hurricane Ivan flooded her basement. She said she lost personal items and carpeting valued at more than $2,000.

She wrote a letter to the township following Hurricane Ida, informing officials of her problem. She pays a plumber $75 a year to check her backflow. She said her latest checkup was July 30.

“I have done my part, but the system failed and needs replaced,” she wrote.

Kim Barr of Harmar said she and her parents have experienced basement flooding. Her parents have had to clean raw sewage out of their basement, a problem they have dealt with for 10 years.

“We will be at the next meeting, and hopefully they will have a solution for this,” Barr said.

Residents asked how soon the problem could be fixed, hoping for sooner rather than later, but township officials said it takes time.

Township engineer Matthew Pitsch said the biggest factor that leads to the flooding issue are downspouts connected to the sanitary sewer system. Sanitary sewers aren’t built to handle stormwater, so when hurricanes such as Ivan and Ida bring heavy rain to the area, the pipes are overwhelmed.

“The No. 1 focus is to get stormwater out (of sanitary sewers),” he said.

Finding the cause

Officials promised residents a plan will be formulated after a field investigation is done to figure out what is causing the issue.

Pitsch said smoke tests and dye tests can help pinpoint what needs to be removed or addressed in the sewers. Smoke or water colored with dye is pumped into the sewers. If smoke rises from a property owner’s downspouts, they are wrongfully connected to storm sewers. Colored dye tracks where water is flowing. The township then has to check its sewer ordinance before sending out letters.

“Once we have more data on it, then we can start to do construction to address the downspouts, or if we find pipe failures in the woods, to fix that,” he said.

Supervisors Chairman Robert Exler said the board was not aware of the issue until residents brought it up.

“We did not know about this problem,” he said. “We will do everything we can to solve it. We want to help you.”

Pitsch said after gathering the findings, the township looks to be able to formulate an action plan.

“Hopefully, by next meeting, we will be able to present our findings to the residents,” he said.