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Sewage bubbles outside Henrico apartment complex

Posted at 11:31 PM, May 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-28 23:32:42-04

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- More than a month after a CBS 6 investigation into a Henrico Section 8 housing complex county leaders called "not a place anybody should live," raw sewage spewed from a grate in a sidewalk and from a toilet inside a unit.

Residents of Essex Village reached out to WTVR CBS 6 News about the issue Sunday afternoon.

They said the problems started around 1 p.m. when a woman’s toilet overflowed and solid waste continued to flood into her apartment.

Outside the unit, sewage also started bubbling up from a drain in a sidewalk because of a blockage.

Essex Village's sewage system is privately owned and not maintained by the county, but Henrico utility crews responded, removed the blockage and made sure the line was clear.

The Department of Environmental Quality has been contacted about the spill, Henrico officials said.

And officials with the company that owns the complex said a cleaning company has been contacted to clean up the mess.

Last Thursday a pregnant woman fell off a broken balcony at the complex while she was trying to fix a broken screen.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development gave Essex Village an "F" grade on their inspection in January.

Congressman Donald McEachin recently sent a letter to the Secretary of HUD, Ben Carson, asking him for immediate answers.

“It is totally unacceptable for residents in a HUD-subsidized complex to endure unsafe and unhealthy living conditions. It is HUD’s responsibility to ensure all residents have an acceptable quality of life,” he wrote.

Officials from HUD say they are looking into the situation.

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