A Norfolk family says sewage has been flooding their front yard for 18 months, and they want the city to fix it for good.
Mary Barringer, who lives in the Ocean View neighborhood, says sewage comes up through a pipe in her front yard. She says her husband has repeatedly called the city of Norfolk to report the problem.
"It is a disgusting problem," Barringer said.
Barringer says the issue has been noticeable enough to affect daily life at her home, including during Ocean View St. Patrick’s Day Parade when they had guests at their home.
"You could smell it while you were standing here trying to watch the parade. We had kids over, we had to tell them to stay away from the yard, a random dog that came up and we're like, don't let that dog drink that water," Barringer said.
She says each time the city responds, the fix does not last.
"Every time they come and they fix it, they basically put a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. They fix it, it's fixed, but then it happens again a month later," Barringer said.
Barringer says the ongoing problem has begun to affect the home itself.
"I'm extremely frustrated because it's starting to affect our actual foundation of our house," Barringer said.
WTKR reached out to the city of Norfolk about the situation. The city issued the following statement:
“Over the last 18 months, utility crews have responded to 14 calls for service to **** Granby Street. On several occasions, crews televised the customer’s sewer line and found no issues with the condition of the pipe but had to clear stoppages. These repeated activities helped crews identify the need to repair the main gravity sewer in the street and the point repair work was recently completed.
Crews will continue to perform point repairs throughout the City to maintain the system. Long-term solutions, like replacement of aging infrastructure, are accomplished by the capital improvement plan.
Additionally, those are temporary patches that will be restored with concrete.”
Barringer says she noticed the timing of the city's most recent work.
"Do I think they came out because you reached out to them? I can't answer yes or no. Do I think it's quite the coincidence that once you reach out to the city, all of a sudden they're digging up the yard." Barringer said.
She says she just wants the problem resolved.
"I would like for them to fix it. I would like to not have poop in my yard, toilet paper in my front yard anymore," Barringer said.
