How do the two New York pages differ?
One is a five-borough metropolis and one is a lake-effect city of old housing. DEP's process drives the New York City page, while Buffalo's page points to the Sewer Authority.
DEP's backup process separates city sewer from the owner's private sewer service line. Buffalo's published material is thinner, so its page says to confirm with the Authority.
New York City
Dense buildings, shared house connections and thousands of restaurants define the city's drain load.
Local page: New York. Crews also take calls from Yonkers, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle and nearby Long Island.
Western New York
Buffalo's freeze-thaw winters and early-1900s housing stress clay laterals.
Local page: Buffalo. Callers also reach us from Cheektowaga, Amherst, Tonawanda, Lackawanna and Niagara Falls.
More New York cities with a local page
Local pages also cover two more New York cities, with a look at the area's sewer system, soil and trees.
See Rochester and Yonkers. Calls from anywhere in New York are answered 24/7.
What causes New York sewer trouble?
Age, grease and roots. EPA names grease and tree roots among the primary causes of blockages.
Old cast iron and clay, heavy restaurant use downstate and winter ground movement upstate all play a part. Pick what fits: sewer backup help, sewer line jetting, drain jetting, and storm drain jetting. For other states, see the areas we serve.