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Sewage leak concerns on west side of Indianapolis

Posted at 10:46 PM, Feb 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-27 15:45:22-05

INDIANAPOLIS — A west side resident is concerned about sewage leaking in two places near her home.

The woman who lives in a west side Indianapolis neighborhood is worried about a couple of things. One, she says every rain brings sewage up out of a nearby manhole. The manhole is covered in debris coming out behind her home.

Second, she's worried about her property. Last year a storm took down a retention wall that keeps water in a ditch, and it's been washing away her yard ever since.

Jean Hosek's backyard is disappearing.

"In April the whole wall went over this way," Hosek said.

Ten months later and Hosek's yard has become a danger.

"I have grandkids. They can’t even play in the backyard," Hosek said. "I have a dog that I have to leash up because he can’t come over here."

RTV6 reached out to the city and they confirmed the problem was reported to them in October.

DPW says it's planning work to stabilize the cement lined channel of Neeld Ditch, at the location. According to DPW, permits are holding up the work.

"When it rains the whole thing is lifted up and all the water spews out of it," Hosek said. "I believe it’s sewage because you can smell it and you can see it."

Hoseks said every heavy rain causes sewage to spew out of two manholes near her home. Another neighbor told RTV6 off camera that it is sewage and it's been a problem for years.

The neighborhood is in the Ben Davis Conservancy District. RTV6 reached out to the utility to find out what can be done to fix the issues, but it was later in the day and we haven't heard back yet.

RTV6 will keep pushing for answers to find out who is responsible for the sewage problem.