Sharon Dejohn of 6133 Willow Avenue told the Port Arthur City Council on Jan. 14 that her home has suffered recurrent sewer backups since the street was resurfaced three years ago, leaving toilets that often will not flush, foul‑smelling orange water, and mold in the bathroom.

"No one should have to live in conditions like these," Dejohn said, describing times when her bathtub filled with wastewater, tissue and sewage were left in the yard, and the family had to stay in a hotel because conditions in the house were unsanitary.

Council asked city staff to respond. A staff member identified in the meeting as Calvin said the city had televised the main and the lateral lines. "We've TV'd the main sort main on that road. It's clear. We've TV'd her lateral. What we found . . . is they are connected to a single 4‑inch lateral which crosses the street," Calvin said. He told the council staff planned to replace the 4‑inch lateral with a 6‑inch sewer and redo the tie‑ins so each house ties directly into the new 6‑inch pipe. Calvin said crews had mobilized equipment and pipe and were waiting on utility locates; once locates are complete, he estimated the pipe‑bursting work would take two to three days.

Council members pressed staff to prioritize homes with active sanitary hazards. Councilman Doucette emphasized targeting cases that create environmental or health hazards, and Councilman Frank urged that the city revisit funding to add pipe‑bursting capacity. "We were assured that we would use money from the fund balance or from the general fund . . . whatever we have to do financially to get that extra pipe bursting crew utilized and put in place even now," Frank said.

City staff committed to provide Dejohn and the council with an update by the end of the week after locates are completed. Calvin said crews had mobilized and would begin as soon as locates allowed safe excavation.

The matter was presented as a citizen comment on the agenda; no formal council action was taken at the meeting beyond staff directions to investigate, schedule repairs and report back.

Context and next steps
City staff said the city has recurring sewer issues in older neighborhoods and that a comprehensive citywide sewer replacement program exists but is not currently funded. The staff member said localized repairs and emergency responses continue while the city works from available crews and equipment. Council members asked the manager to return with budget options to increase pipe‑bursting capacity or otherwise accelerate replacements in neighborhoods with repeated failures.