October 3, 2008

Downtown sewer flooding to be resolved through citywide effort

RAHWAY – On August 30 and September 6 the City experienced two significant rainfalls that caused sanitary sewer flooding in a number of downtown buildings.  The flooding is being caused primarily by storm drains from private properties that are still connected to a sewer system that, in some areas, was built in the 19^th Century and was piped to discharge into the rivers as a combined sewer system.

Following a mandate from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the City has been working during the past few decades to separate the storm sewer from the sanitary sewer system within all of the city’s rights-of-way.

Private property owners are asked to examine their storm drains so this separation can be completed across the City.

Property owners will soon be receiving information about disconnecting storm drains from the sanitary sewer lateral under the street.  In accordance with Chapter 337-38 of the Code of the City of Rahway, examples of such drains that need to be disconnected are: roof drains, yard drains, driveway and parking area drains, sump pump discharge piping and similar drains.

In addition to causing expensive flooding for downtown homes and businesses, storm water illegally discharged into the sanitary sewer system costs Rahway sewer customers thousands of dollars each year in additional expenses to treat the runoff and threatens the health of the Rahway River during periods of heavy rain.  The cooperation of the public would be greatly appreciated.

For more information, contact the Department of Building, Planning & Economic Development at (732) 827-2087.