More than ever homeowners throughout NYC are being required to install new water mains by the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection). The question is why is this happening more than ever?
The DEP or a subcontractor will arrive at your house to install a new water meter upon your request, or if the city determines that the meter must be upgraded for any reason. Upon arrival they will first inspect the water main that your meter is currently connected to. If they feel that the water main is fragile for any reason, they will advise the owner that the main must be replaced. If the existing main is leaking, they will also notify the owner that the pipe must be repaired before the meter is installed. And finally, if the existing water main is made of lead or galvanized pipe, the plumbing code requires the entire pipe to be replaced before any repair work is completed.
At this stage the DEP will issue a 45 day notice requiring the water main to be replaced before the new meter is installed. In previous years the city was not really pushing the fact and in many cases, they did not issue the violation notice. In other cases they would issue the violation notice but never actually follow up to see if the issue was actually resolved.
This has changed over the previous years and the city is issuing more 45 day notices than ever. They are also following up religiously to make sure the pipe was replaced and if not, property owners are receiving violations.
Replacing a corroded or leaking water main probably feels like a major plumbing job. However, if you find a licensed plumber that specializes in sub surface water main and sewer installations, the installation is routine and is typically completed in one or two days. If you have a small domestic water main and are installing forty feet of pipe the installation will take one day. If you are installing forty feet of a three inch sprinkler main, the installation will be completed over a two day period. In most cases, the larger the pipe, the more pipe being installed, the longer the installation will take place.
If you are reading this article because you have received a DEP 45 day notice, it is important not to panic and research the next step towards resolving the notice. It is also important not to avoid the notice and assume it is going to go away!
