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Residents urge action after Darby Station pump failure; council encourages MOWSD review
Summary
Residents told the Plain City Council on Dec. 8 that a lift pump failure in the Darby Station subdivision damaged homes and posed health risks; they asked the village to press the Mid-Ohio Water and Sewer District for a written root-cause explanation and guarantees against recurrence.
Residents affected by a recent lift pump station failure in the Darby Station subdivision asked Plain City Council on Dec. 8 to press the Mid-Ohio Water and Sewer District for more transparency and stronger oversight.
Resident Connor Fullenkamp told council the pump failure damaged his home and several others, described the incident as a public-health concern for people and pets, and asked the Village to increase oversight of multiple lift stations. Fullenkamp said he wants "a written explanation from the Mid-Ohio Water and Sewer District that details the root cause of the pump failure." After his remarks, Mayor Jody Carney acknowledged the frustration and encouraged residents to attend the MOWSD Board meeting on Dec. 16, 2025, or submit written comments.
Amy Kelley, another Darby Station resident, provided a timeline of the day of the failure and described the immediate impacts on her home and family. Kelley said she repeatedly contacted MOWSD during the incident and "did not receive adequate responses," so she hired SERVPRO for cleanup and restoration. She asked council for a written guarantee that such an occurrence will not happen again and for a written explanation from MOWSD outlining mitigation steps. Kelley also urged the Village to press MOWSD to improve customer communication systems.
Mayor Carney and Village Administrator Haley Lupton said the Village will assist where it can and reiterated the invitation to the MOWSD Board meeting, noting that public comment there is an appropriate venue to press for details and remedies. No MOWSD representative spoke at the meeting; council did not take formal action on the residents’ requests during the Dec. 8 meeting.
The council did offer to help affected residents by encouraging them to submit statements or attend the Dec. 16 MOWSD meeting. The Village did not announce a specific follow-up timeline for obtaining a written root-cause report from MOWSD at the Dec. 8 meeting.
