All homes in East Hills have cesspools rather than sewers. (Several years aqo the Mayor and board was successful in overturning, through legislation, a sewer tax which had been imposed on homes south of Harbor Hill Road). Septic tanks have an expected lifespan of most probably 20 to 30 years.

Warning: The earth around a sesspool can settle and sink holes can be created. When this occurs do not go close to the site because a dangerous condition might exist. Call a licensed and reputable company immediately.

Naturally, the more chemicals, clothes washes, and sewerage that flows through the cesspool, the more frequently a cesspool has to be replaced. The amount of sand around a sesspool the better the leaching will be for the system.

Certainly, smells of any kind and back-ups and inability to drain (back-ups) are strong indications of problems.

The recent incident in East Hills involved a worker who fell into a hole that had been dug for a new sesspool system. It was not from a collapse or from a sink hole. All residents are advised that indents in the lawn can be the early sign of potential collapse of a septic system. Of course there are many other reasons you could see indentations in a lawn including normal settling and even moles in the lawn. For more details, please visit: