ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — More people are adding their voices to a growing clamour that the City of St. John’s handling of household sewer problems during the COVID-19 pandemic really stinks.
The Telegram first told the story of sewer sorrows on April 30 after a west-end St. John’s man came forward after seeing a photo of the big dig in the commercial area of downtown replacing water and sewer infrastructure.
After he spoke out, more people told their stories to The Telegram about blocked sewer laterals — the underground pipe outside a house that connects to the sewer main under the street.
In normal times, the city would respond to the calls for help, but it suspended those services under COVID-19 precautions. It will replace the lateral for a bargain $500 fee if it is completely non-functional, but will not clear blocked lines, even if the cleanout is outside a home.
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That has left people with backups or blocked lines paying hundreds of dollars, even $1,000 or more, to private plumbing and industrial sewage companies to clear their lines, something the city would do in normal situations as part of municipal services for residential homeowners.
They then must rely on those private reports to go to the city to argue a case for replacing the lateral.
The city had attempted years ago to get out of the service, but there was a taxpayer backlash.
City excuse
East-end homeowner Lynn Sullivan said if the city is using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to try once again to discontinue the service altogether, that’s not on without due process, including giving residents proper notice to allow debate.
While her problem may not have been a huge bill this time around — she was still waiting Wednesday for the final bill — video images show the lateral is in hard shape, with rocks and tree roots poking through.
Sullivan said a big concern for her is the city’s lack of acknowledgment around the financial impact, especially when there are many other residents in the city who would be devastated by huge plumbing bills.
“It feels really shady,” Sullivan said of the city’s backing away from the service.
In her situation, her annual taxes are in the $3,000 to $4,000 range and she doesn't even use bulk pickup, but rather takes things to the dump.
“It feels really shady." — Lynn Sullivan
“We’re happy to pay taxes, but golly, when we need it, you don’t just get to say, ‘You know what, that sucks to be you, bad time for your sewer to back up.’”
While her circumstances are better, she feels for anyone on the margin.
“What if you were working all day at a convenience store, and you came home to a sewer backup … and you have to come up with $1,000? No friggin’ way dude, you don’t get away with it,” Sullivan said of the city’s withdrawal of what she insists should be an essential service.
“They are just trying to wash their hands and leave taxpayers on their own. … We’ve all paid for the services. … It’s a negligent way of trying to get out of this.”
Due to the blockage, her family can’t put toilet paper into toilets and can’t have baths. They are constantly monitoring the situation to make sure no water is backing up in the washer drain pipe and onto the floor.
“It’s the new normal,” Sullivan said. “It’s not sustainable.”
A backup nearly five years ago flooded the basement with sewage.
Sullivan said she has spoken to the mayor, but had a hard time getting her councillor to respond.
Moved out
Dave House has been dealing with the city on behalf of his mother, a senior who had to move out of her west-end home on April 16 due to a backup. She is living with her daughter.
House is waiting on a plumbing company to send a report to the city to see what the city can do to help.
“How does the city justify designating sewage a non-essential service? Have you ever lived without sewage services for three weeks? I'm sure I don't need to describe the basic bodily functions of living,” House said in an email to the city and others.
“I appreciate the need for worker safety, but put a policy in place. Covid-19 does not live on surfaces beyond three days. My mother’s home has not been occupied for three weeks. I know verification is a problem here, but I'm sure the city can come up with something. Sewage services are essential.”
House told The Telegram that his mother, a retiree on a fixed income, has support, but there are likely many others who don’t have anywhere to go.
While he empathizes with city workers and the concern around personal protective equipment, he said there’s been enough time for the city to sort out a process to tackle the problem, other than outright stepping aside.
He said the private plumbers tried their best to snake the lines, and if the city gets out of replacing laterals it would bankrupt his mother.
"It is the responsibility of the government to provide services that are required for living. We expect the federal government to provide defence in the form of the military or law enforcement, for example,” House said. “We expect our provincial government to provide health care and education. Those are the big ticket items there. In this case we are talking about the municipal government providing water and sewer. We should not allow governments to shirk their responsibilities. We socialize these services in order to protect all of us.”
Promise unfulfilled
Another woman, a senior in the east end who did not want her name used due to privacy reasons, said she has been promised by the city it would replace her lateral, but crews don’t show up.
She said she got an estimate from a private contractor, but hasn’t received an answer about whether the city would reimburse her the $4,300 plus taxes to replace her lateral privately.
She has already paid almost $1,000 to plumbers, and has had a report and video forwarded to the city.
She said she had two blockages in 13 days and can’t use toilet paper, as advised by the city.
“As a taxpayer I am totally frustrated. I don’t know what else to do,” she said.
“I am in a holding pattern, just waiting.”
In normal times, residents can report a sewer backup at their home and the city will send a crew to investigate and clear any blockages. Blockages can occur in the publicly owned sewer mains or inside the privately-owned sewer lateral. Things like flushing wipes can cause problems, but so can tree roots and the age of the lateral.
Under the current City of St. John’s situation, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, after receiving a report of a sewer backup, the city will send a crew to investigate to ensure the blockage is not occurring in the publicly owned sewer mains, which can cause issues for other homes.
If the publicly owned mains are functioning, the homeowner is advised so they can contact a private contractor to respond to the blockage within the individual lateral.
As of April 30, and after the city suspended the clearing of sewer backups in private laterals, it had received 114 requests to inspect the public infrastructure for sewer blockages.
A request for an update on the policy was not responded to before The Telegram's deadline Wednesday.
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