INDIANAPOLIS—If you live in older Indianapolis neighborhoods, particularly those built in the early 1900s, you may face sewage backup during rainfall.
Neighbors on Napoleon Street near Garfield Park have experienced this firsthand, with raw sewage repeatedly backing up into their homes.
“You can’t breathe that stuff because it’s such a health hazard," said Brittney Lynch, whose basement keeps flooding.
The problem first occurred in 2022 during a pump-station project by Citizens Energy and contractor F.A. Wilhelm.
Nearly a foot of sewage flooded Brittney's basement, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
We asked citizens about the incident. They sent us this statement in part, “That issue in the past was specifically related to the contractor's construction methods and restoration was covered by the contractor's insurance, but construction has been completed for more than a year.”
Ben Easley of Citizens Energy explains that the neighborhood’s underlying issue is its combined sewer system, which carries both stormwater and sewage in the same pipes.
During heavy rainfall, these pipes can overflow and push sewage back into homes unless a backflow preventer is installed on the sewer lateral.
Easley noted that the flooding during construction was coincidental and not related to these more recent backups.
To determine if your home is at risk, check the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Outfall Map HERE.
Active CSO points are marked in red, indicating neighborhoods with shared stormwater and sewage lines. If your area appears on the map, having a licensed plumber install a backflow preventer is essential.
In the event of sewage backup, never attempt to clean it yourself. Easley emphasizes contacting professionals: “We would never recommend direct contact."
Brittney says she plans to install the device but wishes someone had communicated the need sooner: “After the construction mess, it should’ve been communicated: we need this part, it’s a never-ending problem.”
