Sewage backups are now part of what people are dealing with across Central Florida in the recovery from Hurricane Irma.

  • Sewage backups reported at Seminole Co. lift stations
  • About 200 lift stations in Seminole County lost power
  • "As you can imagine, it was a nasty odor," one person said

Lift stations across Seminole County — critical for keeping the sewage moving underground — are backing up because of power loss.

Bo Bodine said sewage has backed up near a lift station next to his Casselberry home. He said sewage has been leaking out onto the street in the area.

"Some people thing it might be rainwater, but it's actually sewage backing up into the street," Bodine said.

Joy Ibbotson had the same problem in her Sanford neighborhood.

"It bubbled up out here all the way into the street, and then it was so full it actually came up through the sewer manholes that are in the street," Ibbotson said.

The power in Ibbotson's neighborhood came back on, but it was too late to stop things from backing up at a lift station near her home.

"And you could smell it," she said. "As you can imagine, it was a nasty odor. What would you think of when you think of sewage bubble up into the road?"

A Seminole County utility manager said most of the nearly 200 lift stations across the county that lower power during Irma now have power restored, and generators are running the rest of the stations.

Ibbotson said even though power is back on in her neighborhood, she's still trying to limit water and bathroom usage.

It's just good to be conscientious about the people around you and what they might be going through," she said.

Conserving isn't as easy for Bodine, though.

"Very tough," he said. "Especially when your power is out and people would like to take showers to stay cool."

Bodine, however, admitted his situation could be much worse.

"You should keep a good attitude about it because we could be in Houston where there's 2-feet-deep of flooding," he said.

Bodine said Duke Energy tells him the power could come back on in his Casselberry neighborhood by the end of the weekend.