Residents at the Tanglewest Condominium Community say months of unresolved sewer issues have left them worried about their health, their homes, and their property values.
The problem began in early November, but neighbors say warning signs appeared even earlier.
A strong sewage odor started spreading through the community, prompting complaints and eventually a response from the city. While crews initially addressed part of the issue, residents and property managers say the work was left unfinished, creating new problems and an ongoing eyesore.
“A really bad smell”
Barbara Justin, who lives in the Tanglewest community, said residents first noticed something was wrong last summer.
“Everybody in the community started noticing this really bad smell—really bad,” Justin said. “Eventually we found out they needed to come out and drain the lines.”
City crews did come out and performed a repair, but according to property management, the work was done incorrectly.
“When they did, they poured concrete down into the sewer line,” a property management representative said. The representative asked not to show her face on camera due to ongoing conversations with the city.
Sewage backups and health concerns
Days after the initial repair, sewage backed up into residents’ homes.
“It was going into the residents’ homes,” the property management representative said. “They were afraid to use their dishwasher, that the water would come up. It was awful.”
After repeated attempts to get Public Works to return, property management encouraged residents to file 3-1-1 complaints. The city eventually came back and broke up the concrete clog, which reduced the odor, but residents say that’s where the work stopped.
Large hoses, broken concrete, mud, and construction equipment remain scattered throughout the area. Residents say pieces of concrete were never removed from the sewer line, and damaged property, such as patio gates, has not been repaired. A lingering gas sewer smell is still present.
Fears over property values
Now, residents worry the unfinished job could lead to future sewer failures and long-term damage.
“People looking at homes in the neighborhood are like, ‘No, there’s big problems. I don’t want to live there,’” Justin said.
She added that the visible mess alone would be enough to scare off potential buyers.
“If I drove up and saw these huge hoses, these cones, the broken-up concrete, the mud, I would not buy here,” she said.
The homeowners association says there is little they can do but wait for the city to complete the repairs, a wait that has stretched on since early November.
“The smell may come back,” the Property Management representative said. “It (sewage) may get stuck somewhere again and cause more issues. It’s already caused damage to a line. We had sewage water coming out onto the street in front of an owner’s house, and they need to fix her line too.”
Still waiting for answers
According to the property management representative, the last conversation with the city indicated crews would return to finish the job on Dec. 23. That never happened.
Attempts to get an update from the city and Public Works have so far gone unanswered. In the meantime, residents say they’re left living with uncertainty, lingering odors, and a repair job they fear may only be half done.