Homeowners still want answers after sewage fills homes

As flash flooding hits much of southeastern Idaho Wednesday, some in Rexburg are still searching for answers after last month’s flood sent raw sewage into their homes.

Homeowners say sewage backed up into a total of 26 homes on Laleene Drive and Rodney Street July 15 after flooding caused a city-owned lift station to fail.

“The problem is when the drainage ditch overflows and fills that lift station,” said Cammie Muir, who said her basement filled with raw sewage.

Muir said the same thing happened seven years. Wednesday night she said she and other homeowners plan to take their concerns to Rexburg City Council.

“I’ve lived here for 20 years, and I don’t know that they’ve done anything to that lift station in the 20 years I’ve been here,” said Muir.

But the city maintains each of its lift stations are upgraded every 10 to 15 years.

“The pump station has been updated several times. New pumps, new electrical,” said Rexburg Public Works Director John Millar.

Millar said he doesn’t know when the Rodney Street station was last upgraded, but said it’s functioning as it should.

“The pump station has been in operation 38 years. In that 38 years it has failed twice,” said Millar.

But Muir says that’s two times too many.

“It should have never happened once. They should be — it should have never happened,” said Muir.

Local News 8 will be at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. Stay tuned for the latest.