Shepherd Hills Family Suffers Sewage Backups

Bill Gougoustamos pleaded with the Lower Macungie Commissioners at the Sept. 1 meeting to do something about the sewage backing up into his basement at 1398 Par Causeway in Wescosville.

“It is unsanitary and it's a health hazard to me and my family,” he said, as his wife and children -- a 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son -- listened in the audience.  “What can the township do?  This needs to be fixed.  I can’t even sell my property—who would want it?”

Gougoustamos purchased the 30-year-old house in 2005 unaware of the problem. In the past six years, they have spent more tha $40,000 trying to correct the problem themselves, but, he said, the situation is gradually getting worse.

He said a backflow valve was installed, but has not alleviated the problem.

“I probably would have had a couple feet of sewage after the hurricane, instead of up to the first step, without the valve,” he told the commissioners.

Bruce Fosselman, township manager, suggested capping the drain.  But Gougoustamos was concerned the sewage would just push out of the toilets and sinks, instead.

“It probably will,” agreed William Erdman, township engineer.  “We have a lot of problems with the sewer system in the Shepherd Hills area. And this is a very difficult problem to deal with.”

Commissioner Joseph Pugliese wondered if the original developer may have connected the Gougoustamos home at the wrong location— something that needs to be investigated.

“If that is the case,” said Gougoustamos, “then I feel it is the township’s responsibility to fix the problem.”

Erdman was more than willing to listen.

“I will go out myself and check on this. We will probably put a camera into the sewer system to first see if there is some sort of blockage,” Erdman said.

Ryan Conrad, commissioners vice president, was very sympathetic with the Gougoustamos family saying, “Sorry you had to come here [to the Board of Commissioners]. This should never have happened.”

Days after the meeting Gougoustamos that Erdman indeed came out to survey the situation. Unfortunately, however, he did not have any answers for a solution at the time.