What to do? Raw human sewage being dumped into our creek!

[Ravenlost]

Yesterday DH went to investigate a vehicle parked on the side of the road next to our property and just past the bridge. It was a local person who comes there to fish. He said that two days prior he had passed a septic tank truck (not sure what that type of business is called) on the bridge. There were two men out of the truck so he drove on by, turned around and came back by. The two men were still out of the truck, but he didn't see them doing anything, nor did he get the company name or license plate number. All the fish were floating dead in the creek yesterday.

He has seen this truck stopped on the bridge before and we have noticed it several times, but assumed it was a county truck and didn't think much about it. Since moving here five years ago we have also seen the same truck stopped on the side of the road across from our driveway with a hose running into the swamp over there. Didn't dawn on us at the time that anyone would be doing what they were obviously doing.

I was so mad yesterday that I actually dreamed about it last night! We are definitely going to keep our eyes open and try to get license plate numbers and company name next time the truck is spotted. What else can we do? I've emailed the Mississippi Environmental Protection Office. This creek is a channel that is controlled by the Corp of Engineers and runs directly into the Arkabutla Lake which is a major source of water for Tate and Desoto Counties.

Would raw sewage kill fish? I figure there would be any number of chemicals in septic tank sludge and my blood is just boiling at the thought of them getting away with this.

Can anyone suggest what I should do next?

[EDDIE BUCK]

Yes,raw sewage will kill fish It killed some around here when city sewage plants had spills.Not to long ago I had mine pumped and the truck driver said he can use the pump truck to pump folks septic tanks on the side other than what he does on the job. I asked him what he did with the sewage,and he said takes it back home and pours a chemical inside to treat it then sprays it on a farm that the county rents for that purpose and they keep a cover crop growing on it all the time to use up the sewage thats sprayed.Sounds like that pump truck you saw is bypassing the treating and spraying so they can make more money quicker to dump it.Check with the nearest county enviromental dept.Hopefully they will find the dead fish and find out who was driving that truck. Eddie Buck

[Ed Norman]

Get a video as you slowly drive by. Try to get their faces. They won't be able to run you down in their truck. Get the local health dept, the news channel, the EPA, the fish and game and fish department, and most anybody else a copy of your video and their license and name.

Then fish and drink upstream for a while.

[Ravenlost]

We are on a well, no water lines out here. Hadn't thought about the health dept.

Thanks for all the great tips!

[Ken Scharabok]

Yes, contact (in person) your county health department and relay your concerns.

If it is true they are dumping septic tank residue into a creek off of a bridge I suspect, when caught, they are in for major fines and such. I also suspect the downstream area of the bridge will become a hazardous waste site, with possible extensive clean-up to remove sludge which settled to the bottom of the creek.

Please keep us informed as this develops.

[floridacracker]

I'd also contact your local law enforcement so they are aware. Depending on the state you live it and the volume of the hazardous material it can be either a misdemeanor or a felony.

[Nette]

Around here we would contact the Division of Water Quality. Maybe for you it would be

http://www.deq.state.ms.us/MDEQ.nsf/...e?OpenDocument

[fordson major]

they make trail cameras for taking pictures of "game". hope fully they were not dumping sewage but taking water instead. at one time the most used method for disposing of sewage was too pump it raw into a body of water, now it is treated and hopefully applied back too the land. people like that should be made too live in the bed they make.

Raven, I don't mean to upset you, but is this the same creek where Brawn was shot?
If it was then please be careful if you decide to try to film them.
If they have been doing this for years then there might be a whole lot of money involved and people can do crazy things when it comes down to money. Don't let them realise that you actually are filming them.

I'm so sorry all these bad things keep happening to you! :-(

[paintlady]

If you have a Department of Natural Resources out there then you should contact them as well. They may be able to set up some sort of camera. Back in WI the DNR as they call them actually set up fake deer to catch poachers so maybe they have access to some survelience equipment.

[ann in tn]

If they are dumping in a swampy area near you, I would get the well tested. I do not know how much of a clay layer you have in that area, but if they are any cracks or openings in it, the sewage could go directly from the swamp to the aquafer.

[CocalicoSprings]

I would immediately notify your neighbors too...and then determine an appropriate penalty so you can take the law into your own hands. I am sure their lawyers will get them off so you need a Clint Eastwood to take care of the problem. Maybe burying them up to their necks in the stuff they are dumping for a few days might change their outlook.

[chickenista]

Video
video
video
video
just like Ed Norman said...
ANd then sock it to them!

In the mountains where we used to live there was a problem with raw sewage in a creek and a Hep. A outbreak that was pretty bad.
It caused the Farmers Market some trouble because folks were watering veggies out of that creek.. etc..
Sewage is nothing to play with with....

[hintonlady]

I wish I could be more help with who to contact.

I do know for a fact that dumping sewage, especially human waste is super super super illegal. (Did I say super?) it is ultra taboo because of the potential to create an outbreak of some very ugly illnesses that are usually just found in developing countries.

Dookie in the water is a MAJOR problem. Ditto on veggies watered from that source too.


Collect witnesses in case these folks are greasy.........not to mention they should have to keep records about where they "safely" dispose of waste, right?

[Beeman]

This hearsay not anyone with actual evidence. You will need some evidence if you want to go further. No gov't agency is going to do much as they're all tight on money and aren't really looking for new ways to spend it. Unfortunately gov't agencies are who you will have to deal with if this is true.
Unfortunately this type of stuff goes on with regularity in rural areas, especially in lower income lower taxed rural areas. To dispose of the waste costs the company money so they look to save money and cut costs, small business big business it's all the same when it comes to money for most folks.

[fantasymaker]

From my experiance in this business I doubt they are dumping what you think they are. You see normal household sewage certainly not worth the risk involved in this type of thing itsfairly cheep and easy to dump .
I would suspect from what you have said its more likely to be some sort of industrial waste or hazardous wastes.
We are talking big bucks so be careful.

[texican]

I'd check in the phone book for all of the septic tank cleaners... Unless you live in a well populated area, there can't be that many companies. The 'companies' around here consist of a guy and a truck. If there were only one, it shouldn't be too hard to track their movements and catch em in the act.

[IBD]

Dumping waste of any kind into a waterway (or on the ground) is illegal, PERIOD. Contact your local health dept. They can tell you who enforces the environmental regulations concerning water pollution in your state. Its probably the health dept or the DNR. Keep in mind that the tanker truck could be making perfectly legal water withdrawals from the creek. Maybe there are more than one vehicle stopping. The dead fish may be coincidental and maybe not. Its possible that the tanker accidentally spilled a very small amount of domestic waste while picking up water or just stirred up the bottom of the creek causing a small fish kill --- Of which the truck operator is still violating regs and should be held responsible. Its just that there might not be any residual that will continue to harm the creek. On the other hand the waste could be very dangerous and have long term affects. Even septic tank waste can contain heavy metals and toxic organics --- ever hear of someone breaking an old mercury filled thermometer in their sink? If this is an illegal activity the authorities may provide the surveillance and the apprehension keeping you safe. Be careful and good luck!

[Ravenlost]

Originally Posted by Kitty-cat

Raven, I don't mean to upset you, but is this the same creek where Brawn was shot?
If it was then please be careful if you decide to try to film them.
If they have been doing this for years then there might be a whole lot of money involved and people can do crazy things when it comes down to money. Don't let them realise that you actually are filming them.

I'm so sorry all these bad things keep happening to you! :-(

Yes, this is the same creek.

I checked the phone book yesterday and there's only one local company. Of course, it could be just a guy with a truck working for himself.

I realize this is just hearsay. Fortunately, the neighbor that saw it is more than willing to help get it stopped.

[tlrnnp67]

You might want to get your well water tested too since you think it's been an ongoing issue with the dumping. I'd hate to think anything hazardous seeped into your water supply.