"Terry and the Boston Water and Sewer Downspout Disconnection team came over and disconnected all my downspouts from discharging into the sewer system."This was a program to keep downspout run off from going into the sewer system.
I had a plumber in today to check on a leak, and he noticed the cast iron pipes in the basement. He asked if water was running through them and I told him, no, they were sealed off by the Sewer department.
He took a quick look and told me that it looks like the pipes WERE sending water to the storm water system and NOT the sewer system.
He said I should have asked the sewer department to do a dye test first to see if my downspout runoff was going into the sewer system. They didn't.
He said it's obvious from looking at the pipes that they are seperate.
Now we get ice skating rinks forming in our driveway and sodeway whenever it rains in the winter. It's horrible.
Now I have to contact the sewer department to get them to come out and confirm that my downspouts can be reconnected.
I think they should reconnect them without any cost to me.
Boston Water and Sewer Commission
Sewer Regulations.
Update:
Boston Water and Sewer writes me:
The downspouts on your property were tested on January 21, 1999, and were confirmed as connected into the sewer system.