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Resident tells Harris County commissioners backyard contaminated by surfacing sewage, says DOJ reviewing evidence
Summary
At the April 21 meeting a Fortson resident, Victoria Card, alleged her new home sits on a failing foundation and her backyard is "contaminated by surfacing sewage," said she submitted evidence to federal oversight and received confirmation the DOJ is reviewing her materials; no county rebuttal was recorded in the hearing.
Victoria Card of Fortson told the Harris County Board of Commissioners on April 21 that her 2022 home was permitted on a "catastrophic foundation" and that raw sewage now surfaces in her backyard. "My backyard is now off limits, contaminated by surfacing sewage," Card said during the public-comment period.
Card said she first presented the matter to the board on Feb. 17 and later submitted documentation to federal oversight authorities. She told the board she "received confirmation that the DOJ is actively reviewing my evidence." Card accused developers and some professional consultants of preparing inadequate soil reports, said civil engineers signed off on cut-and-fill plans that she believes render the soils reports invalid, and alleged the county issued certificates of occupancy without enforcing state and federal permitting and inspection requirements, including references to NPDES and a US Army Corps 404 permit.
Card asked the commission to "vote tonight to protect taxpayers and future homeowners" and put the board on notice that she would pursue legal remedies if the board continued to approve developments on land she described as unsuitable for septic systems.
The transcript records Card's allegations and her statement that federal authorities are reviewing her documentation. The hearing transcript does not include a substantive county response or a staff report addressing her engineering or permitting claims during this meeting; county officials present thanked Card for the information but did not make a technical rebuttal on the record.
Claim status: Card's statements are allegations reflected in the transcript; the transcript records her claim that the DOJ is reviewing submitted evidence, but it does not include confirmation from county staff or details of any county investigation.
Next steps: Card's allegations, if pursued further by county staff or federal authorities, would require engineering review, permitting record checks and, if confirmed, corrective actions or enforcement steps not recorded in this meeting.
