3OYS: Sewage Leak on Jackson’s Chestnut Street fixed just days after initial report

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi’s capital city is no stranger to raw sewage leaks, or extended periods of time before they’re fixed, but the residents of Chestnut Street can finally catch a breath of fresh-air.

Eleven days ago, 3 On Your Side showed you a raw sewage overflow that was arguably one of the worst we’ve shown you impacting residents in Jackson.

The leak was nothing short of a river of unsanitary sewage. So bad it was blocking the driveway of 729 Chestnut St., as well as half of the road in front of that home.

“It took for the lady down the street to get in touch with y’all, and they come out here the next day,” said Chestnut St. resident, Derrick Doe.

Olla Griffin, another resident on the street, first called 3OYS about the awful situation she and her neighbors were facing.

She showed the leak’s environmental, and health impacts her street was living with every day and knew something had to be done.

Thankfully, after her call and the initial report, Griffin says workers were on the scene the next day. It took three days to successfully stop the overflow and seal it off.

“Y’all came out and did what y’all said y’all was gonna do and I’m very happy... for y’all doing that,” said Griffin.

Although Jackson’s sewer system looks like it could soon be under the control of Ted Henifin, Doe and Griffin both say that it was City of Jackson workers who fixed the issue.

After it was sealed, the leak was covered with gravel, but Doe doesn’t think the job is finished yet.

“Let us get a black top. A whole black top job. Let’s get a fair job like Madison has. [Their] streets [aren’t] like this at all,” said Doe.

While the leak may be stopped, there are still many just like it around the capital city in need of the same repair, but Griffin is just happy that the one she’s had to smell every day is finally gone.

“We can sit outside and do things, and everything looks good and it’s a lot better than it was before and I’m very happy that y’all came out and did the interview and got it fixed,” said Griffin.

3OYS did reach out to Henifin to see whether or not his team was involved with repairing the leak but did not receive a response back.

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