Clean It Up! Dried Sewage Creates Toxic Environment

A massive sewage stink is left behind by Tropical Storm Fay. Business owners try to get help, but contact the I-team as dried sewage all over is making their strip mall a health risk. CBS 12 I Team Reporter Jana Eschbach is live in Port St. Lucie to get action and Clean it UP!

(Port St. Lucie)

Everyone is aware of the human waste that floated up here. The problem is one side of the complex belongs to the city of Port St. Lucie, this side belongs to St Lucie County. Tonight we cut through the red tape to get action and clean it up.

Southeast Port St. Lucie's Lennard Road one week ago was under 4 feet of water. Now, there is dried dirt all around.

 "As it dries and the wind blows, it picks it up and it's all you are doing is breathing it in." "Raw sewage?" "yeah." said Duke of Oil owner Tony Mutt.

Dried sewage on the streets and drains and wet stuff is still locked inside. Fishing Merchandisers find their gear swamped "and the smell.. you can't get close to this! It is bad!" said merchandiser Linda Clark, opening the bays for the first time.

"The sewage, I didn't realize raw sewage came up." said Clark, "raw sewage--that with the mold is very toxic and I am worried about us cleaning it up."

The I-team brings in the Heath Department to survey the damage.

"They had fecal matter in their businesses, floating in their businesses." I Team reporter Jana Eschbach points out to health officials.

 "If there's a concern with human waste--then it needs to be treated with lime."

said St. Lucie county Health Department's Jim Moses, "We are looking at a soup of almost anything you can think of."

City and County leaders knew about the fecal problem, but could not decide if this property was city or county land or in fact, who was responsible for the clean up.

"We'd like to see the buck stop period right here." said Mutt, "Clean it up. you got the personnel. You collected the tax dollars. Do I stop paying my taxes until you do it?"

Finally Port St. Lucie Utilities steps up to spread lime on affected areas of drains and pavement and clean it up. They disinfect the common grounds, making this place a less toxic dump.

This site is one of four major health sewage concern areas in the county.

Lakewood Park, home to 8,000, and St. Lucie West saw sewage leaks, Savannah Club, home to 1,200 seniors, saw a main sewage line break today.  Health officials assured us they are working overtime to clean it up.