Residents in Madison Heights, Va., have an odor problem. According to ABC 13, a sewer line is is leaking in their yard.
“Over the past couple of weeks, all this stuff has been coming out,” said Zachary Michael, a house renter, to ABC 13.
According to Michael, the leak started a few weeks back on Sycamore Lane, near Seminole Plaza.
“There is toilet paper there,” Michael said ABC 13 as he pointed to the ground. There also appeared to be feces on the ground, according to the TV station.
Bob Hopkins, Amherst County engineering manager, says they are aware of the issue. However, according to Hopkins, the county does not own the line.
“This whole area used to be owned by Judge Schrader and several years ago he had several enterprises in this area,” Hopkins said to ABC 13.
According to Hopkins, the judge put his own sewer line in when he owned the land. The owner of Seminole Plaza took over the property a couple years ago. The houses may have separate ownership but they still connect to the private line owned by the plaza, according to ABC 13.
“DEQ has gotten involved to give them a last push to the shopping center to try and address this because it is a public health issue,” Hopkins said to ABC 13.
Michael hopes the issue is resolved soon, because the smell is not the only problem occurring.
“We really can’t use the bathroom here so we have to go up there and use it. That sucks because it’s getting kind of cold and I want my own house to go to the bathroom in,” Michael said to ABC 13.
A house property can be listed on the public sewer system but that does not mean the line is public, according to Hopkins.
"Just because it says you are connected to a public sewer, you could be connected to a private system, which is the case here," Hopkins said to ABC 13.
Hopkins said the best way to find out is to talk with a real estate agent and ask for historical records when looking to purchase a home.
