Con Ed Says They Will Pay to Repair Damaged Sewer Laterals - But Will They?

Will Con Edison pay to repair resident’s sewer laterals that were damaged during the installation of a gas transmission line along Walworth Avenue and Fox Meadow Road?

A memo from Scarsdale Village about the issue is somewhat vague, but Allan Drury, the spokesman for Con Edison said this in an email to Scarsdale10583: “Yes, I can confirm that if the contractor’s work damaged a sewer lateral, we will repair the sewer lateral at no cost to the homeowner.”

On this point, the FAQ from the Village of Scarsdale says, “Sewer laterals are private infrastructure owned by the property owner and are typically the homeowner's responsibility to maintain. However, where damage is believed to have resulted from third-party construction work, such as a utility project, responsibility may depend on the specific facts and circumstances. Homeowners may wish to consult with legal counsel to better understand their rights and options.

As background, the multi-year project to install the large gas transmission main started in 2021 and caused major disruptions for residents for years - as portions of the street were often closed – and even driveways were blocked by the construction equipment, digging, and repaving. Some sections of the road were repaired and dug up multiple times without explanation. The project extended down through Fox Meadow but was never completed. It’s on pause and no one knows if the work will resume. And is the line in use? Who knows?

What came to light in 2025, is that the installation of the gas main damaged the sewer pipes of some homes along the west side of Walworth Avenue and possibly Fox Meadow Road. The gas pipe caused the sewer laterals to sag, break and in some cases separate the lateral line from the main sewage line running down the street.

Under a new law enacted in February 2023, homeowners are required to have their sewer laterals inspected prior to a sale. In the process of selling their homes, residents did these inspections and some found the lines were damaged.

At first, concerned residents who thought they were affected were told to hire an inspector and then turn in a receipt for reimbursement. The cost is around $400. Those who did so, are now wondering if they will be reimbursed. More troubling, is that the estimate to repair a damaged line is around $40,000 and those wishing to sell their homes now have to either make the repair themselves or deduct the cost from the sale price.

This week Con Edison agreed to retain an independent inspector who will schedule video inspections of the sewer lateral lines that will be shared with the homeowners. Information is supposed to be hand delivered by Con Edison to those who are thought to be impacted during the week of May 4, 2026 and this work is supposed to be done over the next month.

For those whose lines have been damaged, the Con Edison spokesman is saying that the utility will make the repairs.

But will they? Scarsdale Village is speaking in more measured terms saying, “Con Edison has committed to holding an in-person meeting with impacted residents following completion of the televised inspections. At this stage, the specifics of the in-person meeting are unknown, but details will be shared with impacted residents as soon as they become available.”

(Photo Credit: Joe Lawrence)