Tampons in the yard, stench in the air: Townsville’s suburban sewage hell
Soiled tampons in the yard, toilet paper strewn across driveways, and sewage erupting from kitchen sinks — that’s the grim reality Townsville locals face every time heavy rain hits. Meanwhile, one councillor is urging locals not to flush unless absolutely necessary.
Townsville
Don't miss out on the headlines from Townsville. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Soiled tampons in the yard, toilet paper strewn across driveways, and sewage erupting from kitchen sinks — that’s the grim reality Townsville locals face every time heavy rain hits.
What should be a peaceful suburban life has turned into a stomach-churning nightmare for residents in suburbs like Hermit Park, Vincent, Cranbrook, Mysterton and Wulguru, who say raw sewage is invading their properties with alarming frequency and no real solution in sight.
Living along Summerfield Street, Hermit Park, Erica Keam said her family is copping some of the worst of it in their neighbourhood, with their home sitting at the lowest point of the street.
“We live at the lowest point of Summerfield Street, and it seems we just get everyone’s overflow from the rest of the street when it floods,” she said.
And what’s flowing in isn’t just water.
“I’m getting toilet paper and even tampons washing up in my yard,” she said.
“The worst of it comes right next to the kitchen, so while I’m in there, we get this putrid smell of sewage coming into the windows of the house.
“The smell gets even stronger when it starts to dry up and sticks to the ground.”
Her family has faced three major sewage overflows already this year, with filthy floodwaters lingering for days.
“While we cope by digging trenches to allow run-off onto council land, this is far from an ideal solution,” Ms Keam said.
“That water runs into a coastal protected creek and mangrove wetland, which in turn has turned green and slimy with bacteria and sludge.”
Meanwhile another Hermit Park resident living on a street nearby says it doesn’t need to flood for disaster to strike in her home.
“It doesn’t have to flood for sewage to come spraying up out of my kitchen sink,” she said.
“It happened again recently during the rain and felt like an explosion.
“The [sewage was] everywhere in the kitchen, across the benches, under the overhead cupboards, on the floor.”
“The sewage line runs through my block and probably just a couple of meters away underground from my toilet. I just think there’s too much pressure. The system can’t handle it.”
“[The sewage] blows the plugs out of the drain in the double sink. That’s how much pressure it’s coming with.”
She said it’s been a recurring issue for years, and earlier this year, her family was left without a working toilet, shower, or kitchen sink for 12 days.
“We couldn’t use the toilets, have a shower, wash dishes … everything’s got to be done out in the yard, and we have a camp toilet,” she said.
“I’ve contacted the council so many times and tried to have it escalated as an urgent matter due to the health risks, but I haven’t heard back.”
“I read that apparently sewage bacteria can stay alive for weeks, so I’m constantly cleaning my home. I’m so tired. We may even have to leave.”
Health experts have warned residents to always assume that floodwaters in Townsville are contaminated with raw sewage and be wary of the risks of contracting things like gastrointestinal infections, diarrhoea, and even potentially hepatitis.
A Vincent resident says he’s had enough after waking up this week to find his driveway coated in human waste – for the eighth time this year.
Andrew Konings, whose family has lived on Lillipilli Street for seven years, said raw sewage continues to spew from his outdoor drains every time it rains heavily, something they’d never experienced until this year.
“I’ve lived in town for all my life, and a lot of people are saying this is a return to our wet seasons from days of old … but we’ve got way more people now, more houses, and the same old system underneath. It’s not coping,” he said.
“When it rains, our whole system here backs up. The sewage comes up through the drains in our backyard and goes everywhere. The smell is terrible, there’s a lot of toilet paper as you can see and even some dead rats that get brought up.
“We’ve been putting up with this sh*t – literally – every time it rains lately.”
Adding insult to injury, Mr Konings says he hasn’t heard a peep from local leaders.
“Where are our so-called mayor and councillors? I’ve had zero responses from any of them … not even a ‘hey, how you going?’”
The situation has become so dire, he’s now hesitant to have his grandkids over.
“We don’t see them that often anymore with all this sewage around, we don’t really want them here for their sakes. What if they get sick?”
A Cranbrook cafe owner says she’s at breaking point after her store was flooded with sewer water for the seventh time this year.
Opti Eats, a popular coffee spot on Brampton Avenue, has been forced to shut its doors yet again as owner Jo Scott desperately searches for a solution — or a new location.
“We had cleaners in again this morning, and as they finished the main part, we all left in a fast manner as the water was about to flood in again,” Ms Scott said.
“I am mentally drained and just plain f***ing angry at this stage.”
The cafe has been hit so many times that she says it no longer makes financial sense to keep cleaning and sanitising the space only for the sewage to return days later.
“It’s happening so often, it feels like a complete waste of money,” she said.
Councillor Andrew Robinson said given the high level of water Townsville has recently received, the city’s sewerage systems currently are at their peak capacity.
“No system in Australia would have withstood what we are currently undergoing,” he said.
“We are asking people to still conserve the sewerage side of things as well, and only flushing when they are required to.”
“We are aware that some suburbs are being affected that aren’t flooded, yet their sewerage systems are going over.
“If people are affected we are asking them to call 13 48 10 number to report it to council and then council will then get out there and assists with the clean up.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Tampons in the yard, stench in the air: Townsville’s suburban sewage hell
Join the conversation
‘$15k’: Automotive business owner on trial for fraud
The owner of a Townsville automotive painting business allegedly made false claims his wife had cancer and lied about the restoration of a customer’s car to get him to send through more money.
Read more
Dirt N Dust postponed due to rain, mud
Julia Creek’s famous Dirt n Dust Festival has been pushed out to late August after flood waters closed all roads into the outback town. The three-day event was due to start next week.
Read more