Town not at fault when sewer backs up.
On May 28th, Roy Lynch, the town manager, sent a letter out with the water statement explaining that customers are responsible for damages in the case of a sewer backing up into your home. It's vague, accusatory, and attempts to blame homeowners for their own lack of responsibility (likely due to budgetary concerns). I'll try to explain all this the best I can. Liberty's sewer system dates back to the 1920's when Roy Reitzel drilled two wells to create the towns first water works. The system has remained largely unchanged for almost ninety years and is heavily composed of ceramic pipe material which is the most susceptible type for root damage. In addition, the towns budget issues have negatively impacted the replacement of sewer and water lines, and has resulted in a lack of preventative maintenance. The most common issues are when a tree's roots breach a sewer line and restrict the flow of sewage. During heavy downpours of rain, this limited flow may cre...