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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 6, 2005 Recent heavy rainfall caused sewage to back up into Hazel Parker�s shower at her home on Corona Avenue in Medford. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Down came the rain — and up came sewage in one Medford neighborhood By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune When brown water came up through their shower drain, pushed the shower door open and poured onto their carpet, the Parkers knew they were having a bad day. "We had raw sewage that actually filled a shower stall about one-third of the way," said Terrell Parker of Medford. He’s among at least half a dozen neighbors in the 2100 block of Corona Avenue, near Roberts Road, who were affected by a sewer line overflow brought on by heavy rains that began Wednesday. "There’s no way that’ll ever come out of the carpet," said Parker, who, along with his parents, Hazel and Harry Parker, did their best to clean up the floors after the overflow Thursday. "As far as I’m concerned, it’s a real health issue." Hazel Parker said this is about the fifth time raw sewage has come spilling into her house during heavy rains. She’s been writing to the city since 1982 seeking a resolution. "They don’t want to do nothing about it," she said. Advertisement But on Monday the Public Works staff decided to act. They bumped up a plan to replace the lines with larger pipes from 2012 to within the next two years, said Cory Crebbin, public works director. He said the decision was made "based on the experience of the storm." He said the pipe on Corona Avenue is not big enough to handle the amount of rainwater that comes in, so in addition to installing larger pipes, crews will try to identify where the rainwater is getting into the sewer line. He said sometimes there are what are known as "illicit connections" and sometimes a property owner’s private sewer line has decayed. Crebbin said on a normal day, the wastewater treatment plant handles 17 million gallons. On the day with the heavy rains, the plant treated 95 million gallons, meaning a lot of rainwater is getting into the system from various areas. The public works department will send a small camera into the sewer lines to determine where the water is coming from, said Crebbin. Loraine Blakey, who bought her house in the 2100 block of Corona Avenue four months ago, said she spent about $1,000 to pump the water out and had to relocate her family for two nights. "I had to go stay in a hotel," she said. "My homeowners insurance didn’t cover it; I don’t have flood insurance," she said, adding that she still needs to hire someone to clean beneath her house and assess damages. She said she contacted several people at City Hall, and finally was sent to the city attorney. "They sent me out a claim form," she said. "I feel like they should have told me, ‘Hey, it’s our problem, we’ll take care of it.’ "I’m out this money right now. It’s Christmas. I have four kids. It’s not fair." After neighbors reported the problem last week, the public works department "jetted the line" on Corona Avenue to make sure there wasn’t an obstruction and posted a sign cautioning about health hazards from raw sewage. Blakey hopes the city reimburses her and resolves the larger problem soon. "It definitely needs to be taken care of," she said. The city forwards such claims to its insurance company. It is not clear whether it would be held liable. Crebbin said he’s been through hurricanes, earthquakes and going days without potable water. "I’ve been through some things, but never sewage, and that would be the worst," he said. "It’s a huge inconvenience — it’s a health hazard." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail Down came the rain � and up came sewage in one Medford neighborhood ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Student Loans Online Pharmacy tcg student loan consolidation Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Advertisement s