MIDDLE SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP -- A housing development in the Poconos is without a working sewer system.
Residents living at Lake of the Pines near Marshalls Creek started having sewer problems last Tuesday.
Housing development officials say it might be the old sewer line in the community or the pumps inside the dozens of homes affected.
Either way, residents say, the situation really stinks at this point.
It's been almost one week since Carmen Kakakios has been able to use her toilet, shower or sinks. She and dozens of her neighbors at the Lake of the Pines private community near Marshalls Creek are all facing the same issue.
"Basically, our sewer is backed up and all the grinder pumps are not working. Everything was coming up through the grinder pumps. Sewage into the garage, into the bathrooms, inside the lower level," said Kakakios.
Kakakios showed Newswatch 16 how she's making sure her grinder pump, where all the house waste water goes, doesn't overflow again. She has towels surrounding the pump, a shop vacuum nearby to get rid of excess liquid and bleach to get rid of the smell. Overall, she says this issue, stinks.
"Right now, it's not bad cause I had to use three bottles of Clorox to get the stench out." said Kakakios.
Kakakios isn't alone. Sandy Cassidy, who lives a few homes away, is also dealing with the same sewage issue.
"We can run our water, but it's not gonna go anywhere, so you can't run it, cause it's going to fill your tank," said Cassidy. "We've purchased water for drinking, and our dishes are piling up, no showers. I'm trying not to smell. No showers, as far as going to the bathroom, unfortunately, it's just sitting in the toilet,".
"My kids had to poop in a bag, we had to close it up, put it in another bag, out on the deck," said Kakakios.
The community manager says they're working around the clock to resolve the situation.
The Department of Environmental Protection is looking into the mess. They tell Newswatch 16 it's likely the owners of the Lake of the Pines housing development with be issued a violation for not controlling its sewage.