MORROW, Ga. — Renters at a Morrow apartment complex say ongoing sewage backups are creating unhealthy living conditions.
Shaquala Corley, a tenant at Southwoods Apartments, told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln she has dealt with sewage problems in her unit for more than a year.
“I can’t call this home, because I can’t sleep in my bedroom. It smells like a sewer,” Corley said.
Corley said the odor has forced her and her 4-year-old daughter to sleep in their living room. She also believes the conditions have contributed to upper respiratory issues for both of them.
The situation escalated last month, she said, when sewage backed up into her bathroom.
“The maintenance man told me that the pipe was burst,” Corley said.
Other tenants have raised similar concerns. Channel 2 Action News has received complaints from renters since 2023 describing repeated plumbing issues and sewage backups at the complex.
The property owner denied there is an ongoing problem.
“There is no known sewer problem on the property currently; all sewer lines are intact,” the company said in a statement.
Management also said it has not received work orders from residents reporting waste-related issues inside units.
“…Management does not have any work orders from residents to address waste management issues inside apartments,” the statement said.
Corley disputes that claim, saying she regularly sees plumbing crews working on the property.
“I don’t believe that, because every day, the plumbing people are out here on the property,” she said.
She also said management has refused to move her to another unit despite her concerns.
“The manager told me she would not move me to another unit and she knows the problem that’s going on over here,” Corley said.
A spokesperson for the property went on to say, “the last reported broken sewer line in the community was repaired two years ago. Because of the age and size of the property, we respond quickly to address issues when they are reported by residents or identified by staff. We also have consistently warned residents against flushing wipes or pouring grease into household drains, as both issues have caused line sewer back-ups in the past.”
Channel 2 Action News reached out to the Clayton County Health Department. The department said it’s looking into the situation to verify if any complaints have been made.
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