Sewage Clean ups New Jersey - Also a Messy Legal Discussion  

The problem of sewage cleanup in New Jersey can be overwhelming. Take the case of 200 residents of Country Village in Jersey City who were affected with sewage backup sometime in April of 2010. A nor’easter left homes flooded not just with water but also with sewage. The result is disastrous and prompted a dialogue between residents and city officials. Steps considered to prevent similar situation from happening were installation of devices that can thwart backing up of sewage and modification of local netting service to enlarge the opening a bit, consequently letting in more water into the bay and minimizing possibility of it backing up in residences. Another plan is to build a pump station that costs a few million dollars. 

While nor’easters are often blamed for flooding and sewage backup, the inefficiency of current infrastructure cannot be ruled out. Case in point is the old pipe owned by the city of Clifton. When it backed up in early October of 2010, many residents found their appliances, furniture and even precious memorabilia submerged in filthy sewage water. The incident was not only emotionally devastating but also financially upsetting in the sense that their insurance policies only covered a portion of the expenses for sewage clean up and overall damages. The rest, they needed to charge to the city government. However, issues arose when the city government’s insurance provider declined to accept liabilities. Residents were outraged insisting that if they caused this to their neighbor, they would have to pay for the damages but when it was the city government’s fault, they couldn’t ask for the same. 

Sewage Clean Ups New Jersey or anywhere else is indeed unpleasant. You don’t only get to deal with the task of sewage clean up but also with the legalities that may be involved such as filing for insurance claims or even lawsuits. Moreover, in New Jersey, the second scenario may happen to you wherein you couldn’t get support from the owner of the problem pipes. Hence it is important to be prepared for such situations and know what to do in case sewage backup happens.  

Get a comprehensive home insurance policy that covers sewage backup problems. Read the fine print carefully and check the coverage if the problem stemmed from your own home, your neighbor’s, government properties or even from natural calamities. 

Avoid being the cause of sewage backup in your neighborhood. Note that flushing solid objects in the drain or toilets can lead to blockage in pipes between your home and the main sewer line. If you have trees around, make sure that the roots don’t break or enter the pipes. If it’s an old house you are living in or intend to buy, have the pipes inspected and repair or replace if necessary. 

Should sewage backup happen, contact a professional water damage restoration company to conduct sewage clean up. Do not attempt to conduct the sewage cleanup yourself or you may find the problem aggravated by getting sick from contamination. Document the damages by taking pictures or videos for insurance purposes.

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