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Resident tells council of repeated sewage backups; staff points to Attorney General opinion on lateral responsibility
Summary
A long‑time resident told the council she has repeatedly faced sewage backups and has paid about $2,200 in repairs; staff cited an Attorney General opinion that identifies private responsibility for service laterals and offered inspection or new tap options.
At the March 3 Okolona council meeting, resident Susan Gregory of 108 Robinson Street described months of recurring sewage backups at her home and asked the council for assistance.
"I've lived at Robinson Street for 30, 30 odd years and we've had sewage problems the whole time I've been there," Susan Gregory said. She told the council she has spent about $2,200 out of pocket on repairs over the past year and said the problem has caused regular household disruption.
City staff responded that they had obtained an Attorney General opinion addressing responsibility for sewer laterals. A city official explained the two options that staff said the opinion allows: have a contractor camera the line to determine whether the problem is on private property, or pay for a new sewer tap. The official said a sewer tap typically costs about $600. "Either they can pay ... have them to come out and see that and identify where their problem is, or it will be a bit more beneficial for them to just come in and pay for a new sewer tap," the presiding official said.
Susan Gregory said a plumber who inspected the line told her the break causing the backups was not on her property. City staff and council members acknowledged the difficulty residents face and said they would review options and the Attorney General guidance for similar cases.
No formal relief was approved at the meeting. Staff told residents the city remains responsible for main lines in the public right of way, while the lateral from the main to the house is typically a private responsibility per the Attorney General opinion cited in the discussion.
