Addressing sewer backups.

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to addressing sewer backups

This bill would require that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) update by 2025 its plan to prevent sewer backups and conduct further updates every 5 years thereafter. Additionally, the plan would be expanded to include the identification of areas with a significant number of notices of claims filed with the Comptroller alleging losses due to sewer backups. Further, this bill would require DEP to provide timely notice of unconfirmed sewer backups to impacted residents and to sewer backup complainants. Such notice would include a determination from DEP that the backup complaint was not associated with a condition in the city-owned sewer system, a statement that the backup may be related to an adverse condition in a privately-owned sewer, and an informational pamphlet detailing potential causes of backups in privately-owned sewers.