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Raw sewage stews in some Holly Hill yards, residents demand answers from city

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Published  October 22, 2024 10:56pm EDT
Hurricane Milton
FOX 35 Orlando

Raw sewage stews in some Holly Hill yards

Raw sewage is bubbling into some people’s properties in Holly Hill. Neighbors said it’s been a festering problem made worse by Hurricane Milton.

HOLLY HILL, Fla. - Raw sewage is bubbling into some people’s properties in Holly Hill. Neighbors said it’s been a festering problem made worse by Hurricane Milton.

On Tuesday, more than two dozen neighbors concerned about flooding in the city packed the city council meeting to speak up. Some neighbors were still without proper drainage, meaning they couldn’t shower or use the bathroom.

"That’s just like a cesspool," homeowner Ron Hillmann said of the sewage in his backyard.

Hillmann said it's finally receding. His walls show how high water – and who knows what else – is pooled around his home. He and his neighbors say it’s not a new issue.

A video shared with FOX 35 shows the backup a month before Milton. Water is also pooled on the street. Another video from days after the storm shows the sewage flowing from the street to a neighbor's backyard.

"This is open sewage," homeowner Francesca Benner showed FOX 35. "All of this that’s around here is toilet paper and feces and remains of sewage."

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The sludge once covered her lawn, and the stench lingers.

"You can’t have sewage backing up into your home," Benner said. "It's just not an acceptable way to live."

Benner, Hillman, and other neighbors attended the city council meeting to speak during public comment.

"Do you know what it’s like to check the weather report every morning to see if it’s going to rain," one woman asked of the commissioners.

"I’m leaving Holly Hill, sir," another man said. "Not because I want to, but because I have to for the safety of my family."

Mayor Chris Via said the city has invested nearly $3 million toward addressing flooding issues over the past two years.

"It’s not an overnight solution," Via said. "It’s a long-term plan. There are things we can do, in the meantime, to mitigate some of those things. That is going to be the highest priority as we move forward."

City leaders said Tuesday they plan to dedicate a workshop at the end of the month to addressing flooding.

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