Homeowners sue Mitchell over sewer backups
Raw sewage flowed into Lake Mitchell, prompting alleged Clean Water Act violation
Two Mitchell residents who experienced repeated sewer backups in their home have had enough, and they are taking the city to court.
John Erck and his fiancée, Mary Mayotte, filed suit against the city in federal court after large amounts of sewage flowed through Erck’s 5,000-square-foot home next to Lake Mitchell. The first backup occurred on Sept. 13, 2019. Erck has lived in the home since 2004, and Mayotte has lived there since 2021, according to their complaint.
Erck called the city to report the backup. The city sent someone out to look, but Erck was told the city could do nothing about the problem emanating from its sewer line, the complaint alleges.
