Homeowner horrified after discovering neighbor's sewage bubbling into yard: 'This has been a nightmare'

A frustrated Redditor posted a photo of the dangerous mess a leak in a neighbor's plumbing caused between their homes.

"I live in Salt Lake City and our neighbors have had a problem with their sewer line for the last couple months and are not really in a hurry to fix it," the original poster explained in r/SaltLakeCity. "This is a hazard to my health, my kids' health, my animals' health, and the environment."

The photo shows an old-looking pipe next to a pool of collected brown water littered with refuse.

The OP said they contacted the Salt Lake County Health Department, which planned to advise the owners of the busted pipes not to use their water. However, not much else was being done to address the issue because it was private property. 

"The city is only responsible for damages caused to sewer pipes that begin at the main underground and are past your property boundaries," explains the Salt Lake City company My Buddy the Plumber.

Sometimes, people are uninformed about their neighbors' good intentions with native gardens. Other times, people don't realize the amount of noise pollution their habits cause. 

In this case, the neighbor accidentally made the issue worse when trying to fix the problem, and a simple conversation didn't yield the desired results. Meanwhile, the homeowner was concerned because neighbors nearby have artisanal wells.

When people fail to tend to their property or attempt repairs beyond their expertise, it can create expensive damage for themselves and wreak havoc on the surrounding area.

Issues that affect people's water supply are especially hazardous.

"Wow, this is horrific. … The city should be very happy you were persistent," wrote one commenter.

Do you think your city has good air quality? Definitely 🥰 Somewhat 😮‍💨 Depends on the time of year 😷 Not at all 🤢 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

But many others pushed the OP to contact a lawyer, thinking this would be the quickest and most effective way to spark action.

"It would probably be best to get a lawyer," said one person. "Sorry this has been a nightmare for you."

Others declared it was clearly the neighbor's duty to fix it. 

Someone wrote: "If my sewer was backing up into my neighbor's yard I certainly wouldn't just carry on like there was nothing that could be done. They need to fix their sewer line. Or stop using it."

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.