Sewer drains backing up again - becoming common place

[4248]

Due to sewage system over load - the Pleasant View pumping station doesn't seem to keep up. Developments on Pleasant View near Pavement Road In Lancaster have been routed Into the Ellicott Creek sewer line.

This is resulting in sewage backups on Stony Road (North) - home owners are spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars on cleanouts and repairs.

So now we have two man made quality of life issues thanks to the fact that Town Leaders moved Ellicott Creek to facilitate development = Flooding !

Now we can enjoy being host to the sewage from #Cross Creeks - due to a sewer line being buried in the Federally protected Ellicott Creek bed = Sewer back ups!

What's gonna happen when they keep building east of Cross Creeks ? How much sewage will be added to that same pumping station. Many home owners don't understand because of poor planning by Town Officials - the sewage actually has to drawn into the pumping station and forced into the main line.


Many present home owners will just quietly pay the Roto Rooterman - they don't want others to know they have "Sewer Issues" - the fear is resale values could be affected.

Its a catch 22 !

[shortstuff]

That is a real problem, refresh my memory 4248--in the Windshor Ridge development; what happened when they needed to address the further extension phases of the development project to (I believe) Transit Road? If I recall the sewer line project was expensive and extensive to the taxpayers to accommodate the phases of that development. So I wonder if that might need to happen in the Cross Creek/Pleasanview area?

[Frank Broughton]

due to a sewer line being buried in the Federally protected Ellicott Creek bed = Sewer back ups!

This makes no sense. Where a line is buried makes no difference as to if it will back up. There are different types of sewer lines too, are you talking waste or storm water?

[Lee Chowaniec]

That is a real problem, refresh my memory 4248--in the Windshor Ridge development; what happened when they needed to address the further extension phases of the development project to (I believe) Transit Road? If I recall the sewer line project was expensive and extensive to the taxpayers to accommodate the phases of that development. So I wonder if that might need to happen in the Cross Creek/Pleasanview area?

In 2011, at an Erie County Sewer Authority meeting when town and village residents were present complaining about sewer backups, they received little in the way of compassion from the county board members, and where then Town Supervisor Robert Giza Chaired the board.

The sewer backup issue was attributed to:

• Illegal sewer hookups

• Broken sewer pipes – mains and house laterals and where water is entering the sewer lines

• More frequent storm events with heavier rains and snow melts

• The village sewer system is being surcharged from town development.

2,000 or more homes had been constructed in the south end of town. The waste from these homes runs through a sewer line that is interconnected to an 18” village sewer trunk line at Milton/Harvey Streets. In 2011, we were led to believe by the town supervisor that this added waste has no impact on sewer line capacity and village sewer issues; nonsense.

A new $5 million sewer line is to be installed by the Sewer District #4, from Aurora Street to Borden Road in Cheektowaga. The purpose of the new sewer line is twofold; to give relief to the village and to allow for more town growth. The town’s Windsor Ridge South development has been limited to Phase I construction only because of sewer capacity issues. We continue to hear its coming – perhaps this year.

Village of Lancaster Mayor William Cansdale had petitioned the Sewer District for relief for five years ago. His plea went into limbo until town residents likewise complained on same sewer backup issues in different locations.

Like village residents, the town residents were told a lot of the problem was caused by “illegal” sewer hookups (legal when the homes were built years back) and where they are now cited for being out of code. Quick fix solutions were suggested to them as well – remove floor drains or install stand pipes, back-values, etc.

[Lee Chowaniec]

This makes no sense. Where a line is buried makes no difference as to if it will back up. There are different types of sewer lines too, are you talking waste or storm water?

What made no sense was the permitting by the county and town to put a sanitary sewer line in the south branch of Ellicott creek. You don’t think it’s possible that one day the line will develop a leak and waste will be flowing into the creek?

4248ss’ point is that the Pleasant View pumping station is being overcharged with new development to the east and will become more so as further development takes place. As the volume of waste increases and heads west through the Villages of Lancaster and Depew they bear the brunt from the volume increase and are experiencing sewer backups; more so now because of infrastructure leaks.

The flooding referred to is because of creek direction change and the loss of valuable and functional wetlands through development – squeezing in more homes for developer profit and town revenue.

For decades the town has been remiss in accommodating for the aggressive town growth that took place in that time frame. In truth it never had an official Town Planner. Now we see the shortcomings of poor planning – flooding and draining issues, overburdened roads, wasted revenue that could have been saved by proactive attention to infrastructure needs, etc.

Fortunately, we appear to now have a planning board that has taken a new direction; one that listens to the residents and acts in the best interest of the community over that of the developers and business leaders.

[4achange]

This makes no sense. Where a line is buried makes no difference as to if it will back up. There are different types of sewer lines too, are you talking waste or storm water?

Frank

Here's what you do, start at Genesee and drive down Stony, as u drive to pleasentview, look to your left. You will see manhole covers with about 6 ft tall green candycane shaped poles coming from the sewer manhole covers. What do you think those are for, ever seen em before?. Look at the manhole cover right next to the creek, you can see it can very easily be covered by the slightest rise in creek level. If you trace the sewer line back from there towards Pavement, it pretty much stays right in the technical creek bed. Then go left and drive down Pleasentview towards Pavement. Look at the hundreds of new homes that are all served by that sewer, before you even get to the little S curve on pleasentview. Now round the corner and look left and see all the new lots site ready. Now all this gets to flow in the creekbed sewer to the pleasantview pump station. So we have a sewage system that has its only exit as a line in a creekbed, that can and has gotten completely covered in water for large areas The ground is pretty much wet around the line all year long.
I hope it never happens, but if the line ever breaks, and it is covered by water when it does, all those nice new homes are up really gonna enjoy the backups, I am sure. That and the fact you now have raw sewage in the creek. Man that was smart
Again and again another perfect example of building new homes ( which no one minds if done right) with the minimum planning of infrastructure (roads, water, sewers, etc). That seems to be standard operating procedure around here.
Just as a footnote, I went to the planning board meeting this week, and finally it seems we have some intelligent thought and some real concerns for residents. It needs to continue and grow, and perhaps we can finally turn a corner and begin to develop and expand the right way, one can only hope.

[4248]

I wonder how these nay sayers would feel if every time they flushed their toilet - the items flushed ended up on their lawn ? !

Usually only people who haven't experienced these things on a regular basis act like it cant be happening ! My neighbor is in her seventies - she just spent close to $1000.00 to have her drain cleared - two days ago - I spent $600.00 one week ago -

The Town has known about this for years - they helped increase the problem instead of any corrective actions.

They even turned down matching funds from the Feds - Past Supervisor stated he would rather bull doze all the houses on the north end of Stony Road.

[FMD]

Maybe you and your neighbors should get together, and collectively stop paying your taxes until the local govt steps up to the plate?

Protesting doesnt work
bitching about it doesnt work
going to meetings doesnt work.

when the govt wants to 'punish' you they hit you in the pocket book with fines and fees. Maybe its time you and your neighbors do the same?

[4248]

Great idea - will you volunteer to under write the legal fees - or at least organize a fund raiser ?

In reality we all know most people wont even speak up let alone without money from the Government - besides they are afraid to crimp their perceived property values.

Any other ideas - so far your correct - expecting any level of government to actually be accountable is a pipe dream at best !