I need suggestions for taking care of a rediculous situation.

[mardigras]

After Katrina Allstate provided a trailer for the house next door. Over my objections the end of it was placed about 7 foot away from my door because the guy wanted to park the trailer level rather than having to do the work of leveling it himself. Then, even though the city had marked the sewer line for him, he and the extra help he summoned were too incompetent to tap into it and instead put a huge translucent plastic tank on the end of the trailer facing me 5 or 6 feet from my bedroom window (it is partly on my property). For months this box of sewage that you can see through greets me when I open my door and as the weather has gotten warmer I have not been able to leave doors or windows open because of the smell and flies (the thing actually swelled up and cracked).

Allstate decided they no longer wanted to pay the $2350 per month some company from Georgia was charging them from the trailer (a completely different rediculous situation) so they informed the folks next door they were taking it back. They pleaded with Allstate over several calls to let them keep it long enough to make other arrangements and Allstate agreed to give them 2 months but people abruptly showed up a couple weeks later and took it. When they contacted their adjuster afterwards he told them he had not been able to update their claim because their system had been down... for 2 weeks

The guys removing the trailer hit the tank with it (along with a tree) and I asked them if they were taking the tank. They said they'd come back, which they didn't (of course, the thing was of no value to them). Since the pipe is no longer connected to the trailer it's open... and damaged, leaking from the bottom. It's leaked all down the road, into my driveway and puddled along the curb of 3 houses. Cars, pets, kids on bikes are all going through it. The paper and local TV had taken pics of the people next door carrying their stuff out and the TV station had footage of the trailer leaving and both had pics of the damaged tank (and my mom updated them on the leak situation) but apparently 300 gallons of raw sewage in a neighborhood and the events leading up to it aren't newsworthy. A lady from the city looked at it 4 days ago and said she'd get someone right on it, which hasn't happened. I even called the state EPA and the guy said they'd have somebody out yesterday, which they didn't. There's about another 100 gallons left to leak out.

Who else should I call? The EPA is the proper place to report sewage spills but I guess since this only affects a few private properties it's low priority. I thought the city would be concerned. Allstate and the trailer company aren't going to do anything unless someone forces them to. The temp is going to be in the 80s the next few days and only going to get warmer. This thing has got to go!

[potter]

that is nasty, i have no advice for ya

[Choppa]

hmmm not good at all

[Screaming]

wow that is totaly fucked.

i wouldnt know where to go with that 1 dude.

[DaddyHalbucks]

City Dept. of Health?

If they do nothing, call your lawyer.

[CyberHustler]

Lawyer.....

[pussyluver]

Originally Posted by BuySexProducts

Lawyer.....

Or national press. Get the digital camera out and take the grossest pics ya can. Perhaps you have some pics on file. Start sending to every news organization you can think of (Liberal and Conservative). Do the same to FEMA in DC, the White House, Polk County Sheriff, just one big fucking mass email. Maybe someone will pick up the story and you'll get some attention.

The sad part is you're not the only one with problems and they all are getting complaint email.

I suspect that even a lawyer is going to have a hard time getting any fast action in the mess down there.

The only other thing I can think of is to say fuck it and move. That creates another mess if you have a mortgage. Call the mortgage holder and see if they have some leverage. Tell them your gonna have to move and you can't afford two mortgage payments. I suspect your insurance company could give a shit too (bad phun). Say your house is useless at this point.

Best of luck to ya.

[Raven]

If it's hazardous waste...and is dangerous to the public or children, start calling and writing certified letters to every agency there is, including your attorney general for your state. Make sure you 'cc' everyone, from local grass roots politics to prez bush hizzelf....mail each letter certified...show pictures...include news papers, especially tabloids and national papers and mags.

Make sure you include children protection agencies....environmental agencies...politically motivated agencies and politicos themselves......the more letters you write, the more likely it is you will get the attention. Document and take lots of pics.

If you don't want to do it yourself, hire an attorney to do this.

If it's merely an eyesore, much as I hate to say this, 'cause it's not fair to you, hire a private concern and remove it yourself....

[AmateurFlix]

if you really want it gone the best thing you could do is probably just pay someone to remove it. maybe a septic cleaning company would take it.

it's not your property and you shouldn't have to pay for it, but no one else seems to want to do anything about it and I don't think you're going to get reported for stealing a big pile of crap (literally) that no one wants...

[mardigras]

Originally Posted by AmateurFlix

and I don't think you're going to get reported for stealing a big pile of crap (literally) that no one wants...

LOL, perhaps I should have taken my brother up on his offer to hook a chain up to it behind his truck

Well, the EPA showed up about an hour ago and even though all of the sewage is in the street he said it is a property owner problem

Health department is sending someone out. If it comes down to it I will pay somebody, but dammit, I have already paid quite a bit for other people's fuckups since the storm, I've still got a long way to go on my own place.

I am going to track down the the trailer company and tell them I'd like to offer them a day or 2 before filing a lawsuit, maybe that will get a little quicker action.

[seeric]

Call 911 and tell them that there is a hazardous materials leak on the property next to yours and that you fear for your safety.

[Tom_PM]

Drag it behind your truck to the governors mansion. (sorry, dont know any real suggestions)

Good luck, I'd be pissed too..

[mardigras]

Originally Posted by PR_Tom

Drag it behind your truck to the governors mansion.

LOL, that'd be a few hundred miles, there would be nothing left of it... then again, the problem would be gone
The bottom would probably rip as soon as it is pulled.

It's got about an 8 foot section of pipe still connected to it.

[mardigras]

Originally Posted by Raven

If it's hazardous waste...and is dangerous to the public or children, start calling and writing certified letters to every agency there is, including your attorney general for your state. Make sure you 'cc' everyone, from local grass roots politics to prez bush hizzelf....mail each letter certified...show pictures...include news papers, especially tabloids and national papers and mags.

Make sure you include children protection agencies....environmental agencies...politically motivated agencies and politicos themselves......the more letters you write, the more likely it is you will get the attention. Document and take lots of pics.

So far, between my mother and myself we have contacted EPA, county health dept., state atty general and insurance commissioners, local paper & TV; which BTW I have to go get today's paper. My mom told me just a bit ago the story is in the paper today, but they reported the trailer people's erroneous version that they were being evicted for not paying rent and didn't mention a thing about the sewage which I emphatically brought to their attention while they were here.

[Elli]

What about going the health route? Local hospitals, health board, education board, CDC?

[The Duck]

This thread is useless without pics, seriously.

[G-Rotica]

government sucks

[CDSmith]

Originally Posted by A1R3K

Call 911 and tell them that there is a hazardous materials leak on the property next to yours and that you fear for your safety.

I like this answer.

[mardigras]

Originally Posted by kandah

This thread is useless without pics, seriously.

Careful what you ask for
My neighbor's shit