OWE NO: Rockaway landlord Charles Zurheide, whose property was damaged by Sandy, says the city is billing him (right) for damage caused during its storm cleanup. (
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First Sandy wrecked his house. Then the city broke his water line.
And now he has to pay for both.
A Rockaway landlord with $20,000 in damage from Hurricane Sandy has to shell out thousands more to fix a busted underground water pipe — even though he says the city broke it.
Heavy machinery used to clean up Sandy wreckage crushed a patch of sidewalk near his house, slashing a two-inch pipe running from the water main to his Beach 92nd Street property, said Charles Zurheide, 59.
He said it will cost as much as $6,500 to make the repairs, which are necessary to restore water to the two-family rental home.
Zurheide has to pay out of his own pocket because the line is on his property, a city official said.
$60B IN AID FOR SANDY BLOWN AWAY
The city’s Department of Environmental Protection on Nov. 30 told Zurheide that if he didn’t fix it in 10 days, they would do it for him and send him the bill.
He filed a claim with the Comptroller’s Office — and vowed not to pay.
“It happened because of the heavy machinery they were using to pick up the debris thrown out on the curb,” he fumed.
“I want it fixed and I don’t want to have to pay for it, because it’s not something I did,” he said.
Sanitation spokesman Vito Turso said that Zurheide’s accusations may not hold water without an eyewitness backing his claim that the concrete and pipe cracked during the cleanup.
“Unless there was a witness who observes an incident where the sidewalk was broken as a result of Sanitation, it’s very difficult to prove,” he said.
A DEP spokesman said the agency already forgave a $1,000 water shut-off fee — citing the mayor’s merciful edict waiving water bills and fees for storm-ravaged victims.
Zurheide has at least one pol on his side.
“He’s not at fault,” said won-over state Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. “He didn’t cause the water-main break.
“He had very little to do with it, as I understand. Regardless of his costs and financial situation, he really shouldn’t have to pay up.”
But a source says he doesn’t really have a choice.
“He will have to hire a certified plumber and pay for the repairs at his own expense,” said the source.
Despite his troubles, Zurheide still praised the city workers who cleaned up after the storm.
“They cleaned up Rockaway phenomenally,” he said. “Those guys worked their asses off.”