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It's happened again. An aging Long Island cesspool has collapsed, taking down another unsuspecting person who was merely walking across a lawn, completely unaware of the danger lurking beneath his feet. This time, thankfully, there were other people in the area and the 71 year old victim was able to be rescued. Had there been no one there to witness the accident, the results would certainly have been a lot worse. The elderly gentleman, Edward Matos, was submer- ged up to his chest and in a matter of a very few minutes, could have succumbed to the noxious gasses present in active septic systems. Luckily, Mr. Matos, having suffered no major injuries, is alive and well, with nothing damaged except, maybe, his pride. But collapsing cesspools are no laughing matter. In recent years, there have been many collapses, some resulting in serious injury and even death. This web site has been reporting on the problem since its inception in 2004, with no fewer than 5 articles on the subject (Archives) and LILWA president, Tom Gallagher, has pledged to make the issue a priority for this organization. Clearly it is time that our state and local authorities begin to take the problem seriously and start to take action to reduce the threat that now exists - and as the stock of aging septic systems continues to get older - will only get worse. The problem is primarily centered on cesspools built prior to 1976. Many of them were made of brick or cement blocks and due to certain additives in the mortar or in the materials used to cast the blocks themselves, have become compromised and too weak to withstand the pressure from years freezes and thaws, filling and draining and the even the weight of the soil in which they're buried. Add to that the people, equip- ment and vehicles which may travel over the cesspool and you have a prescrip- tion for disaster. Watch this space for further information about this very serious problem.

In a copyrighted article dated October 21, 2005, the Southampton Press explored the dangers of older, 'block construction" cesspools that are so common in eastern Long Island. Click Here

If your septic system hasn't been serviced for quite some time, this might be a good time to have it done. A month-long marathon of Holiday cooking, baking, house guests and parties can put an increased load on the system. All too often, the Holidays is the time of year when cesspool and septic system emergencies seem to crop up. But little preventive medicine can save you a ton of aggravation and embarrassment. Just make sure that you have the system looked at by a reputable service company; one that is fully licensed and insured and preferably, one where the technicians are LILWA certified. It's your assurance that the service people have the necessary training to perform the required services properly and safely. There is an extensive list of qualified service companies on the "Find A Company" page and while LILWA can't recommend a specific company, everyone on the list is a member in good standing of this organization and as such, required to be fully licensed and insured in the county(ies) in which they operate. Click here to access the list.

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