Queens lawmakers demand answers after South Ozone Park sewer flood

South Ozone Park Councilmember Adrienne Adams and Mayor Bill de Blasio visited residents impacted by the sewage overflow on Dec. 2. Photos by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office.

By Victoria Merlino

The City Council will investigate why roughly 80 South Ozone Park homes were flooded with knee-high sewage Saturday, as outraged residents scrambled to save their belongings and continue to contend with the stench of human waste in their basements.

The City Council Committee on Environmental Protection will host a Dec. 11 hearing, scheduled for 10 a.m. in the City Council Chambers. The committee’s chair, Western Queens Councilmember Costa Constantinides, will partner with South Ozone Park Councilmember Adrienne Adams to question city officials on what happened and why.

“It is outrageous that so many South Ozone Park residents were displaced and suffered property damage when their homes were flooded by sewage just after the holiday,” said Adams in a statement. “Apologies will not make these residents whole. It is imperative that we get answers from the Department of Environmental Protection for the residents of Southeast Queens that are still struggling.” 

City officials said the flooding was caused by a blocked sewer line at 150th Street near JFK Airport. Though officials initially blamed the backup on residents pouring cooking grease down the drain after Thanksgiving, residents balked at the idea, and the officials backtracked.  

City officials say the flood of human waste was caused by a backed up sewer pipe.

Sewage water rushed into the basements of South Ozone Park residents homes in the early morning hours of Nov. 30, destroying furniture, clothing and electronics as the foul-smelling sludge coated objects. Sewage levels reached several feet high in some homes and will require professional cleaning. 

The Department of Environmental Protection helped residents pump out basements, and created a system to bypass the blocked sewer by the weekend’s end.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Dec. 2 that the city would quickly hire contractors to remove the sewage and clean up the impacted homes.

“I feel for the homeowners in Queens who were affected by the sewage blockage this weekend,” de Blasio said in a statement. “We are implementing the emergency procurement process to ensure that homes are cleaned quickly, and we are going to work with each and every New Yorker who experienced flooding to make sure they get back on their feet.”