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Sewer backup resolution time (hours:minutes)
Maintain the City’s water delivery and sewer collection systems. — Resolve emergencies and perform preventive maintenance and required repairs to the water distribution and wastewater collection systems in a timely manner.
The extreme FY22 figure (nearly 16 hours to resolve a sewer backup, versus roughly 3 hours in surrounding years) was driven by the record-breaking rainfall from Hurricanes Henri and Ida that fiscal year, which overwhelmed crews responding to sewer backups and clogged catch basins citywide. DEP's own reporting says resolution times returned to normal once that unusually severe rain event passed.
Researched July 16, 2026 — DEP, Fiscal 2023 Mayor's Management Report
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 15 hr 42 min | 7 hr |
| FY23 | 3 hr 23 min | 7 hr |
| FY24 | 3 hr 12 min | 7 hr |
| FY25 | 2 hr 24 min | 7 hr |
| FY26 (YTD) | 2 hr 54 min | 7 hr |
Source: Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations — via NYC Open Data: Mayor's Management Report, Agency Performance Indicators
Coverage shown: FY22–FY26, reported monthly.
Definition: The average amount of time that DEP takes to resolve a sewer backup from the time the complaint is received. Resolution of a complaint can occur by clearing of a blockage or an inspection that reveals no backup or that the problem is on private infrastructure.