Graylyn Crest Sewer Problems Bring Bad News and a Lead to Realtor®

Just sit tight, folks, and New Castle County will repair your South Graylyn Crest sewers. Contractors are now on Crestover Road in South Graylyn Crest bringing an end, hopefully, to problems which have existed for at least the last 30 years in Graylyn Crest and much of Brandywine Hundred..

For years, we have been told that if tree roots or other obstructions occured in sewer lines between the house and the main line in the street, it was the homeowners' responsibility to do repairs. That is what prompted this tree lover to choose putting in a new pvc line with clean-outs  to the street many years ago, rather than cutting down my beautiful maple tree.

But within the last 10 years or so, the sewer periodically backed up into my laundry room and I had to get roto-rooter type work done. The result was always the same--roots where my line meets the street. This was frustrating, especially since I had to have this work done a week ago and the County workmen were in sight at the end of my street.

Right now, they are installing clean-outs for everyone in South Graylyn Crest who has not already had pvc pipes or other systems with clean-outs installed (which is what you see above in the picture taken this morning). After this is done, they will shoot a felt-like material into the main and the laterals right up to the houses in many cases. Then they shoot hot air inside the lines, which hardens the liner, thereby sealing all the joints.

They are not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts, but because the Feds have said they must stop discharging sewage into streams. The County website explains this:"As this system has aged groundwater and surface (rain) water flows have entered and exceeded the capacity of the pipe conveyance system causing repeated overflows into the basements of some homes as well as discharges into local watercourses during significant storm events." Full details are at http://www2.nccde.org/specialservices/Sewers/BrandywineHundredRehab/default.aspx

The only good news about having to bring a plumber in last week is that he is a Vet who would like to buy a house and is unhappy with the Realtors® he has worked with so far.