A local homeowner on South Walnut thinks the city needs to help with sewage backup problems that are really causing a stink for his family.

The city of Demopolis has its hands tied because they have laws for what is considered public property and what is considered private property.

Ed Key, a resident of South Walnut has been having problems with broken or clogged sewer lines or also called laterals &045;

the pipe that runs from your home to the sewer main, under the streets that are causing his sewage to back up for the last two years. Key’s lateral runs seven feet under the street, so Key thinks the city should help.

However, Mayor Austin Caldwell has heard the problems before and says public government can’t get involved in the upkeep of private property.

What makes matters worse, for other residents at least, is that the Christmas parade will pass right where the sewage from Key’s house has backed up. Among other concerns is candy that finds its way to that side of the street.

Key has made numerous attempts to get help with this problem.

Key, after receiving little help from the city, decided just to let the matter rest until Demopolis got a new administration that would be willing to help.

Recently the sewer line starting backing up again, so Key dug out the lateral by the street to allow the sewage to run.

The Street Department came by just days ago and filled the hole in with gravel, thus blocking his sewer line and causing it to back up.

So, Key and his wife got out Tuesday night with posthole diggers and emptied the hole once again, this time allowing the raw sewage to flow in the street in front of their house.

There have been numerous people that have had this problem, with some of them having to pay thousands of dollars out of their own pockets to have their sewer lines fixed.