When sewage comes up a drain in the Village of Great Neck, the first question is often whose pipe has failed. The answer decides who investigates the blockage, but it never decides who cleans the floor. This post explains how the village sewer system is organized and what sewage backup cleanup involves.
Key takeaways
- The village is connected to the sanitary sewer system of the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District.
- The homeowner is responsible for the house lateral, from the house up to and including its connection to the main sewer.
- The District takes a Stoppage Incident Report and uses a closed circuit TV camera to see which side holds the blockage.
- Sewage is contaminated water, so porous materials that touched it are usually removed.
- The Village of Great Neck is separate from Great Neck Plaza and the other villages on the peninsula.
How the village sewer system is organized
The Village of Great Neck, often called the Old Village, is one of nine incorporated villages on the Great Neck peninsula. It is separate from Great Neck Plaza, Great Neck Estates, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock and Thomaston.
Sanitary sewage from the village goes to the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District. The District is a special commissioner-run district within the Town of North Hempstead, with an elected Board of Commissioners.
Its treatment plant is designed for 5.3 million gallons a day, and the system has 10 sewage pump stations. The village government itself does not run this system.
Where the homeowner's pipe ends
The house lateral is the pipe that leaves the house and meets the main sewer. The homeowner is responsible for it from the house up to and including its connection to the main.
Everything beyond that connection belongs to the District. This split is the reason a backup call is not simply a plumbing call.
- The pipe inside the house, the cleanouts and the lateral are the owner's.
- The main sewer is the District's.
- The point where the two meet is counted as part of the owner's pipe.
What the District does on a backup call
A resident reports a backup to the District by phone, and the District records a Stoppage Incident Report. A crew member then uses a closed circuit TV camera to find out whether the cause sits in the main or in the homeowner's lateral.
This matters for cost and for repair, but the water on the floor still needs attention at once. Sewage does not wait for the cause to be settled.
If the blockage is in the main
The District handles the clearing of its own sewer. The homeowner still arranges the cleanup of the house.
If the blockage is in the lateral
The repair belongs to the homeowner, and plumbing work in the village needs a permit. The village Building Department provides permits to plumbers working in the village and posts a Plumbing Permit Application.
Why sewage is never ordinary water damage
Sewage is Category 3 water, which can carry bacteria and other contaminants. Porous materials that soaked it, such as carpet, pad and low drywall, are removed instead of dried.
The crew uses protective equipment and containment so the contamination does not spread to clean rooms. Water extraction removes the liquid first, and then the area is cleaned and treated before drying begins.
- Stay out of the room and keep children and pets away.
- Do not run the washer or flush toilets if the drain is backing up.
- Do not try to wash sewage into another drain.
Housing in the village and what it means for backups
The village has about 3,724 housing units, roughly 70.8 percent owner-occupied and 29.2 percent renter-occupied, according to an ACS 2023 estimate. About 67.2 percent of units are single family detached homes, and about 24.9 percent are in buildings of 20 or more units.
In an apartment building a backup can reach several units, so a tenant should tell the landlord or management right away. In a single family house the owner holds the whole question, from the lateral to the cleanup.
Steps while waiting for the camera and the crew
Calling the District and calling a restoration crew can happen together. Neither one holds up the other.
The Great Neck hub lists every water service for the village, and the sewage page covers what a crew brings to a backup.
- Report the backup to the District and ask for the Stoppage Incident Report.
- Photograph the floor, the drain and any damaged belongings.
- Keep a written note of who was called and when.
- Call the restoration team to start extraction and cleanup.
Sewer water versus supply water
The Water Authority of Great Neck North provides the village's public water, which is a separate system from the sewer. A backup is a sewer problem, not a supply problem, so the water provider does not clear it.
Problems with sprinklers or water mains go to the water provider. Keeping the two systems straight saves time when deciding who to call first.
What the cleanup covers
After the District's camera work, or at the same time, a crew handles the contaminated floor. The steps follow a set order so the contamination stays in one place.
The crew bags and removes what cannot be cleaned. Items that can be washed, such as hard plastic bins, are cleaned before being returned.
- Containment of the affected room with plastic sheeting.
- Extraction of liquid sewage and wet debris.
- Removal of carpet, pad, low drywall and other porous materials.
- Cleaning and antimicrobial treatment of hard surfaces.
- Drying with air movers and dehumidifiers, with readings taken until the structure is dry.
- HEPA air scrubbers where odor and airborne particles are a concern.
Records worth keeping
A backup creates a paper trail. The Stoppage Incident Report, photographs of the floor and a list of damaged belongings all help later.
Landlords and tenants should also record when the backup was reported to the building, since that date can matter for a claim.
- The date and the way the District was contacted.
- Photographs of the drain, the floor and each damaged item.
- Receipts for cleanup and any temporary housing.
- Any message from the District or the plumber about where the blockage was found.
Questions
Who owns the pipe from the house to the main sewer?
The homeowner is responsible for the house lateral, from the house up to and including its connection to the main sewer. The main itself belongs to the District.
How does the District find the cause of a backup?
After taking a Stoppage Incident Report, the District uses a closed circuit TV camera to see whether the blockage is in its main or in the homeowner's lateral.
Is the Village of Great Neck the same as Great Neck Plaza?
No. They are two of the nine incorporated villages on the peninsula, and Great Neck Plaza has its own sewer arrangement and Building Department.
Does the District clean up the sewage inside the house?
The District deals with the blockage in the sewer. Cleaning, extraction and drying of the house are arranged by the homeowner or building management.
Should I wash sewage down another drain?
No. Washing sewage into another drain spreads it and can overload the pipe again. Leave the cleanup to a crew with protective gear.