KOKOMO, Ind. -- A Kokomo mother is frustrated and looking for answers for the raw sewage water and waste she said have been bubbling up into her backyard for over a year.
Ashley Sell says she's been reporting the issue for over a year, and it happens almost every time it rains hard.
“There are days when you don’t even want to open your door because the whole neighborhood smells like poop, literally,” said Sell.
She says the backed-up water leaves behind all types of flushed refuse like toilet paper and used condoms – things that settle in the grass where her children often play.
The waste that doesn’t stay in her yard flows into a small stream that runs through the neighborhood.
Sell shared the video below which she says was taken last time it rained.
Sell said she has reported the issue to Kokomo’s wastewater department several times in the last year and a half, but they have yet to fix the issue.
In a written statement, city leaders said they were “assessing the sewer lines” in the area since Sell’s latest complaint, which they claim is the first time they have heard about the issue.
“Crews from the wastewater treatment plant have been assessing the sewer lines in the area since this issue was reported to us. This property owner is the only person in the subdivision to have called in about such an issue. However, the owner waited four days to contact the City after the event, which did not allow for a timely response. We encourage all residents to timely report any issues involving City services or infrastructure.”
Sell says she remains “cautiously optimistic” based on the city’s response and she hopes that her children will soon be able to reclaim their backyard.
“Yesterday is the first time that anyone has came and even looked at it or raked up the aftermath or anything else,” she said. “It’s hard to keep kids cooped up in the house because your yard is dirty from raw sewage.”
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