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Bullard Sewage System Strained By
Rain
(Staff Photo Jaime R.
Carrero)
Raw sewage overflows between
By KENNETH DEAN
Staff
Writer
BULLARD - Residents are crying foul after raw sewage ran through
their neighborhood and forces at least one couple to take sponge baths and use a
portable toilet.
The citizens cite a lack of sufficient sewer lines,
while city officials contend they are correcting problems facing a small city
experiencing a growth spurt and past mistakes.
John and Lorna Loftin,
both in their 80s, said they have dealt with inadequate sewage and water with
the City of
"They (the city) just tied into
the existing sewer line and put all of those people on a line that wasn't
designed for this many houses," Loftin said. "We shouldn't have to live like
this."
(Staff Photo Jaime R.
Carrero)
This is the pump station that services the affected area
in Bullard.
Mrs. Loftin said the sewage problem was so
bad they could not take showers, baths or use the toilet and candles were
burning constantly to mask the odor.
"My husband just had cancer surgery
and this is just a hideous situation that we shouldn't have to put up with at
our age," she said. "Actually no one should."
SEWAGE AND HEAVY
RAINS
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The Loftins said the heavy rains have caused the problem
to resurface after two years of drought.
"When we don't have the rain
then we don't have the problem, but when it rains, the system backs up and a
river of raw sewage runs from our yard behind us and through the adjoining
neighborhood," Loftin said.
In 2005 the couple took their problems to the
Texas Commission on Environmental Qua-lity and an investigator looked at the
area.
The investigator sent a report to the City of
According to a TCEQ complaint report, the
investigator was told that a pump on a lift station was not operating and it was
being replaced.
The investigator told the city to comply and to spread
powdered chlorine over the affected area. "I told them then that the pump was
not the only problem, but that the line was also too small for all of these
homes," Loftin said.
Loftin, a former Bullard mayor, pointed across
However, city
officials said the light lets them know the pumps are working nonstop and, with
all of the recent rains, the pump is working overtime.
Behind the couple
on
"We have about three inches of some type of nasty sewage in
our backyard. It just plain stinks." Robert Mims said. "It's so bad that we
don't dare drink the water here."
Mims' wife Leigh said a plumber told
them the problems were from the city's line and not a problem on their
property.
"Every plumbing fixture on our house is stained and the water
when it comes out is foamy and smells," she said.
Both the Loftins and
the Mims said they have made phone calls to the city, but have not been
answered. "They are avoiding our calls," Mrs. Mims said.
CITY RESPONDS
Larry Morgan, Bullard
city manager, admitted the city was experiencing problems with the water and
sewage system in place, but added the city had not received any calls from
either party.
"We have sewage problems because we have an old system in
place and we are a small city experiencing growth," he said. "We have a whole
array of problems for a city with growth and no money."
Morgan added that
in the past two years the city has worked hard to correct problems with the
current water and sewage facilities and lines, but results did not occur over
night.
"You can't correct everything over night and we have a lot to
correct," he said. "Before two years ago, when I came on, there were entire
streets put in and entire (housing) additions put in, and I don't think one
inspection was ever done."
Morgan added the city's sewage plant was
completely out of compliance with TCEQ two years ago and was currently being
reworked to remain in compliance. One thing the city did, Morgan said, is to
hire an engineer who looks at each new subdivision before ground is broken to
determine water and sewage needs.
"There is one street where a two inch
water line feeds 40 houses, and that is not good enough for fire suppression
should it be needed," he said. Morgan also said the amount of rain has had an
affect on the pumps. "The pumps are just trying to keep up with the amount of
rain we have had," he said.
Morgan said the city is working to correct
the sewage problem and had done some work on
"Have we solved every problem in the
city? No we haven't."
The Loftins said they hope the problem gets fixed
soon. "It was embarrassing this week, because we had company come in from out of
town and they couldn't even use the toilet."