Ila Marsh says the soggy, dirty mess in and around her home has gotten so bad, she might have to temporarily move out and stay with relatives.

“It’s shocking. I’m going to leave tomorrow morning, maybe the next morning – but I don’t know if I can last that long,” said Marsh.

Homeowners along Azalea Drive near Lake Brantley Drive said they’ve been dealing with what appears to be sewage running on to their properties.

After News 13 first looked into the problem Dec. 3, officials with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection said they’ve been meeting with the owners and operators of the nearby Wekiva Hunt Club Wastewater Treatment Facility.

The DEP said the facility’s filters failed recently, which forced operators to release more water into their ponds. They said the failure, in conjunction with rain, rose the water table in the area.

A spokesperson for Sanlando Utilities told News 13 last week that any runoff was treated water and any sewage showing up anywhere would have to be coming from people’s septic tanks.

However, residents told News 13 they believe their septic tank problems are direct result of the water runoff from the plant.

State health officials said they’re hoping the plant’s operators will clean up the mess and are waiting on the results of an investigation by DEP. They are advising residents to clean up what they can using bleach.

Residents we spoke with said it’s too big of a job for them to clean up completely.

Marsh said she believes whatever is in the dirty water around her home is making her sick. She said she has not been feeling well the last few days.

“There’s no doubt about that. It’s just finally gotten ahold of me,” said Marsh.

That’s why the 86-year-old said she’s leaving the home she’s lived in for decades, at least for a while.

State environmental officials said operators of the wastewater treatment plant are lowering the water levels of the plant’s ponds.

A plant spokesperson told News 13 Tuesday this will help alleviate the ground pressure issues in the septic fields of the homes near the plant. The plant spokesperson also said plant operators are in constant communication with DEP, which is closely monitoring all actions by the plant.

A state health official told News 13 he hopes to meet face-to-face with plant operators as early as Wednesday to talk about what can be done to clean up the neighborhood near the plant.

