Killingly town officials are looking for new solutions for a Danielson neighborhood that thought they would have to potentially pay up to $10,000 per household to help replace an aging sewer line off their street.
Part of that aging sewer line runs along the back part of homes off Prospect Avenue. It was believed that the homeowners would be responsible for helping pay for a new sewer line, but now the town says that a potential grant could help offset those costs.
“If you’re going to charge people you’re not gonna get the money. They don’t have it,” said resident Art Soucy.
Beneath his backyard Soucy says is a several years old, several thousand dollar problem. From tree roots—to broken pipes, underground video given to NBC Connecticut by the town shows the sewer line in his neighborhood is due for an upgrade.
Soucy said there have been problems the whole time he’s lived there.
He and his neighbors have had plenty of back-ups.
“This whole area is a problem, said Killingly Town Engineer Dave Capacchione.
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The sewer lines off Prospect Avenue were installed about 100 years ago and are tough for crews to access from the road for repairs.
Capacchione says the city has been working for years to come up with a plan to replace the aging lines. Homeowners-- at least 50 of them—learned a few months ago that under a town ordinance, they would have to foot the bill—anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 per household.
“We’re not trying to push anything on anybody we’re trying to make sure it’s done correctly and fairly,” Capacchione said.
Just this week the city announced that homeowners could now get help from a grant or money from another part of the town’s budget to help take the burden off them.
“It would be the right thing to do people here,” Soucy said.
Ultimately Soucy hopes the sewer line is replaced and doesn’t leave him buried under bills.
