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Resident tells West Columbia council raw sewage at 1020 Natchez Trail is making her family sick
Summary
At a City of West Columbia council meeting, resident Corina Helgason urged the council and city attorney to address alleged raw sewage at her home at 1020 Natchez Trail, saying her children have repeatedly fallen ill and requesting a direct meeting with city counsel.
Corina Helgason told the City of West Columbia council that raw sewage accumulating behind a retaining wall at her home, 1020 Natchez Trail, is making her family sick and asked the city and its attorney to meet with her.
“The raw sewage exposure is literally killing us,” Helgason said, and added that her children suffer from illnesses she described as “E. Coli to strep throat.” She said the condition has persisted despite repeated reports, that she has documented the problem, and that she wants the city attorney and council to meet with her and review the matter.
Helgason also told council she had been told by an attorney for SCDOT that the city might ask her to relocate; she said she wants that prospect clarified and that she expects code enforcement to hold any responsible neighbor or property owner accountable.
Mayor Tim Miles and other council members directed Helgason to contact the city attorney and noted the attorney’s contact information was available. The chair reminded the public that the council could not adjudicate individual code-enforcement cases in open session and encouraged Helgason to meet with the city attorney to pursue next steps.
The council did not vote on the matter during the meeting. Council members asked staff to take Helgason’s contact information and to follow up; the transcript records the mayor asking that comments on code-enforcement matters be directed to the city attorney.
Next steps: Helgason requested a meeting with the city attorney and the council; the chair instructed her to contact the city attorney directly. The transcript does not record any immediate enforcement action or staff timeline.
