BULLS HEAD, Staten Island (WABC) — There are a few ways to describe the mysterious foul odor seeping into some Staten Island homes, but no good ways to mask it. Between scented candles, air purifiers – even sealing off doors, nothing seems to prevent houses in a Bulls Head neighborhood from smelling like a sewer.
“Because The smell was burning our eyes, making us nauseous, giving us headaches – that’s why we had to evacuate up to five times already,” said Deborah Phelps-Seda.
Phelps-Seda and her neighbors say they first noticed the stink in early December. Work was underway on Merrill Avenue to service gas infrastructure. A gas leak was ruled out.
“They were opening up the road and it smelled really bad, so I had went out there and asked them about the situation and the smell was coming into my house and they told me it was the sewer,” she says.
Almost three months later, after crews with the city’s Department of Environmental Protection inspected and cleaned the swears – the odor is still oppressive.
“Me and Deb never talked so much in our entire lives. I mean, because we’re suffering. Our kids are suffering – we’ve had to leave,” said Amity Nigro.
The DEP tells Eyewitness News that sewer infrastructure is operating as intended, going on to say,
“We have also installed filtration devices in nearby sewer manholes to help reduce odors. DEP is currently monitoring the situation through wastewater and air sampling, and our investigation into the cause remains ongoing.”
Local Councilman David Carr has heard residents’ complaints. Instead of waiting for DEP to figure out what is causing the smell, he says he is now involving the city’s Health Department to figure out what potentially the smell could be doing to people.
“I think it needs a fresh set of eyes and also a lot of residents are complaining of heal symptoms that are really troubling to hear,” Carr said.
It is certainly troubling for Deborah who is a mom of two and would like to breathe a sigh of relief.
“All you want to do is protect them and you feel helpless,” she says.
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