Throggs Neck Houses flooded with sewage

The ground floor apartments of the Throggs Neck Houses have been regularly flooded with raw sewage, and senior residents are accusing the New York City Housing Authority of shirking their responsibility to fix the mess, according to the New York Daily News.

Tenants who are used to being up to their knees in toxic sludge every few months are saying something’s wrong with the building’s sewage system. Meanwhile, representatives from the NYCHA are saying the fault lies with the residents.

“This is not a regular flood situation,” said Alexander Malloy, a resident in the building who has written several letters to the city asking for a detailed explanation for the problem but has not yet received a response.

According to NYCHA however, the cause of the flooding comes from what’s being disposed of in the drains.

“The cause appears to be the disposal down the drains of cooking grease and foods containing oil,” a NYCHA spokeswoman said in a statement.

The spokeswoman added that fliers had been distributed in the building detailing the proper disposal of greasy substances, but residents denied having seen any such fliers.

State Senator Jeff Klein blasted the city agency for its response, saying, “NYCHA needs a shakeup.” [NYDN] – James Comtois