Follow Up on Sewer Line Problems For Panama City Residents

Tonight, an update on a story News 13 first brought you about a year ago.  Some Panama City residents told us about a strong odor believed to be coming from an underground sewer line near their homes.  They wanted the city to do something about it.  Recently, some work has been done to repair the line, but that work has stopped.  They are asking why?  Tonight, a closer look at this smelly issue and what the utilities department is doing about it in this Problem Solver report.

“I would really like to know why the project hasn’t continued. The smell is still consistent,” says Greg Gordon.  He is just one of about a half dozen residents of Park Place in Panama City just off of Airport Road.

Gordon says residents noticed the nauseating sewer smell coming from an underground line behind their homes almost three years ago.  I got a whiff of the unpleasant smell the day we did this interview.  Gordon and others say they complained to the city.  And when it appeared nothing was being done about it… brought the issue to News 13.

Gordon tells me, “We can’t come out here in the yard in the evenings to do any yard work.” He says neighbors have complained about a sewer line backup.  According to Gordon,” Yes, I know it has backed up in my neighbors over here...I know it has backed up in Edgewood over here.”

After our story aired last Spring, Panama City Utilities responded and in September determined that this section of the underground sewer line you see on this map needed repair and installation of a pipe liner.  A city contractor came to the scene back in February and performed the first phase of repair work.
But, the project is not completed.  Now, you still see what appear to be replacement pipes sitting on the ground and residents want some answers.

Resident Greg Gordon says, “I have a child, my neighbor has a child, they are all young. They come out and play and come in the house and say daddy it stinks out there...so what am I supposed to do?  When is the problem going to be solved?”

That’s what I have once again taken to Panama City Utilities.  Instead of an on- camera interview, officials responded in an email to News 13.  Director Ron Morgan provided a history of how the city has investigated this problem and steps that have been taken.  He notes that repair work with the contractor was delayed the first of the year.  Morgan also notes the progress made in February and says “ the remaining liner work ... will be done within the next two weeks.”

Morgan expects a by-product of the work to be reduced odor levels within the system… but cannot guarantee it due to the large service area.  Residents say they have concerns over possible soil contamination from the sewer line.  Utilities Director Morgan says he is unaware of any sewer spills and does not anticipate the need for soil testing at this time.

Posted by on 05/05 at 03:09 PM
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thanks for posting this info online, good read

Above comment posted by Here  on  05/11  at  11:14 PM
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Jerry:
We at Park Place would like to thank you for your assistance in our problem areas.  I would like to talk to you about the latest going on. 

Please contact me at 850-215-4044 or my cell at 850-276-4545

Thank you!
PJ Gerondale

Above comment posted by  on  05/16  at  09:07 AM
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