Frequently Asked Questions

Help! There is a sewer backup in my house. What do I do?

Phone our office right away at (516) 482-0238, and file a Stoppage Incident Report with one of our friendly office employees. Please be ready to give a general synopsis of the problem you are having from said backup, a phone number where you can be reached, a name we can contact (especially if not your own) and the location of the incident. We will send someone out that same day to check the problem first hand in our main line at your location. You don’t have to be home at the time; as long as we have a way to reach you, we can follow up with you after we have finished inspecting the incident area.

I had a backup and the District said it was my responsibility. Who is responsible for what?

The homeowner is responsible for the maintenance of the sewer line from their residence (house lateral) up to and including its connection to the main sewer line. This line could be in the street or behind your home, depending on the Village in which you live. When a backup call is received, we utilize our closed circuit TV (CCTV) camera to determine if the cause is in the main sewer line or if it is in the homeowner’s house lateral line. If it is found to be a problem in our main sewer line prior to the connection you have from your house lateral, we will take care of it. But if it isn’t a problem from our main line, it is your responsibility.

Who do I call when I have other water related issues or have items to be disposed of?

The GNWPCD is here to help and serve you for any of your sewer-related questions. But if it is a non-sewer, yet water related problem, you need to contact the Water Authority of Great Neck North or Manhasset-Lakeville Water District (depending on which services your water). This would be for any and all other water-related problems including sprinklers, water mains, water service invoices and similar. For these and other non-sewer related problems please dial 311.If you want to contact your water provider directly:

Water Authority of Great Neck North
(516) 482-0210
www.waterauthorityofgreatnecknorth.com

Manhasset-Lakeville Water District
(516) 466-4416
www.mlwd.netPlease note. We don’t handle disposal of waste or removal of unwanted items. You can call 311, contact the Town of North Hempstead or your village office for the appropriate information on who to get in touch with to handle your non sewer related problems.

What do I do about getting public access to sewer related records in your district?

To get access to any and all files that deal with sewer lines covered by the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District, you must fill out and fully complete the top portion of a Application for Public Access to Records Form known as the FOIL form. The top portion of the form must be fully completed stating the location of the record you want access to, be fully signed along with your printed name and for whom you are requesting the record. Said form must then be sent to this office and the request will either be approved or reasons given for other options pertaining to it. We can not give access to any public records dealing with any of our sewer lines or maps without a FOIL form being completed. The FOIL form is located in the Forms and Documents section of this site.

I own a food related business in this District, and was told I need to install or increase the size of a grease trap based on the Sewer Usage Ordinance. What exactly is the Sewer Usage Ordinance?

Any food-service related business in our District must adhere to the Great Neck Water Pollution Sewer Usage Ordnance guidelines. This means that any business located in our District that is going to be serving food in any capacity must have a grease trap (or “grease interceptor”) installed onto their premises before they can run a business in the District. Prior to the operation of your business you must have approval from our office. Every type of grease trap installed will differ depending on the type of business and the volume of food being produced to keep our sewers clean from excess grease and wastes that can harm and cause backup within our system. We will determine the type of grease trap appropriate for your use, and once you have it properly installed you must agree to have said traps cleaned on the required schedule as indicated on your permit or risk being in violation with the District. The agreement you make with an outside cleaning service provider to regularly clean your grease traps must also be approved by our offices. A copy of the ordinance is available for viewing on our web site by clicking the link. (Click here for the Sewer Use Ordinance) If you have any questions regarding the Sewer Usage Ordinance, please call us at: (516) 482-0238

I would love to take a tour of the District sewage treatment plant. Is there a way I can schedule one?

Yes. You can take a tour of our facilities by arranging it beforehand. We are proud to show how the process works and are even prouder to show our vast efficient and environmentally friendly operations to those interested. Please call our main number of (516) 482-0238 and the operator will set a time for you and your friends to take a tour of the District and its various buildings.

Why are garbage disposals not permitted in the District?

Garbage disposals introduce larger solids, fats, oils and/or grease, which can lead to blockages throughout the system. Additives and detergents that claim to dissolve grease often only soften it, allowing it to harden within the sewer system.

Why can’t I put fats, oils and/or grease (FOG) into the drain?

Once FOG is poured into a drain it adheres to the insides of sewer pipes, reducing their inside diameter. This grease build-up may block an entire pipe, which could lead to raw sewage backing up into homes and businesses.

How am I supposed to dispose of fats, oils and grease (FOG) if I cannot put it into the sewer system?

Dispose of FOG by placing it and food scraps into a container or can and dispose of it with your regular trash collection.

Why is all of this so important?

Every gallon of sewage must be treated by the GNWPCD, while meeting strict government guidelines, and then returned to Manhasset Bay. We all want our neighboring waters and shoreline to be clean and pollution free.

Why install nitrogen removal facilities?

This is a federally mandated requirement. While nitrogen is an important nutrient in aquatic ecosystems, large amounts (like those discharged by wastewater treatment plants) can alter the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the bay.

Where else does this nitrogen come from?

Nitrogen and other chemicals such as phosphorus and carbon are also introduced to the system from septic tanks, systems, fertilizers and storm water runoff. You can help alleviate this chemical pollution by practicing Xeriscape landscaping. That is, landscaping that uses minimal water and fertilizer and plants native to the area.