The Town of Timmonsville is dealing with a problem that's not just unpleasant, it's potentially dangerous. Sewage is backing up in parts of the town and one town councilman says they don't have enough money to fix the problem.
Joe Whitaker, a resident of Timmonsville, says he's been shoveling sewage that's backed up in his yard for more than a week. "I got children in the yard and it's all around my swimming pool. It's just a hazard."
The problem is the town's under-performing sewer pumps. Timmonsville has 16 lift stations that pump out sewage and send it to the town's wastewater treatment plant. Six of those pumps are barely operational because they need to be replaced, but a town councilman says they just don't have the money right now to do it. "Money is the issue and the town is very financially challenged and until we get some funds to kind of alleviate some of the burden, the only thing we can do is try to get by from day to day," said councilman William James.
But that's just not enough for some residents who say the situation just stinks. "The community, council and state officials would take some immediate action because I think it's creating a health problem," said Audrey Hickson.
Timmonsville Mayor Darrick Jackson says he's fully aware of the health risk. He says they've asked state and federal officials for some help. In the meantime, Joe Whitaker wants the problem solved so that he and other residents can breathe fresh air and get back to life as usual.
State health regulators tell us they are aware of the sewer pump issue, but say the Environmental Protection Agency oversees the town's wastewater treatment services. EPA officials say they haven't taken any recent action against Timmonsville, but say in the past five years they've cited the town three times.
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