JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Some neighbors in North Jacksonville are still dealing with flooding after days of rain. And for one homeowner, all the water has flooded her septic tank, pushing the sewage out.
Melissa Sapp said she hasn’t seen flooding this bad since she was a kid.
“I remember my dad used to have to carry us to the bus stop with waders so we could get to school,” said Sapp.
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She said that her property has been prone to flooding after heavy rainfall.
“It started standing on the 8th, and it’s been just building since then,” said Sapp.
Her septic tank is overwhelmed.
“I can’t flush my toilets,” said Sapp. “I can’t wash laundry. I know that there is seepage which means there is feces water all around me. We are just making the best of the crappy situation.”
Melissa said she is not allowed to pump the water out due to the train tracks nearby, and she said she previously contacted the city about this issue.
“There is no drainage,” said Sapp. “The city was supposed to come out and put drainage in and they have yet to do that.”
Action News Jax Alexus Cleavenger also reached out to the city and they are looking into this.
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If you have a septic tank that is flooded, A1 Septic Service said pumping provides temporary relief, but ultimately you might just have to wait.
“The water table is so elevated that there is just nowhere for the water to go,” said Dyanne Thomas, the president of A1 Septic Service. “So, all we can do really is wait for the water table to recede so that the drain fill can work like its designed to work which is to percolate the water down into the ground.”
Thomas said their service calls for pumping have really increased after all the heavy rainfall.
But she said even if you have your tank pumped today it could be filled tomorrow.
“Because the water that is in your drain fill has nowhere to go, its not seeping down into the ground, so its just flowing back into your tank,” said Thomas.
A1 Septic Service said if you are concerned about your septic tank flooding, it’s best to minimize the amount of water that you use.
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