The Yokely Canal for man residents in Franklin is located behind their backyard. And many have voiced their complaints about the canal recently complaining about a distinct smell and a change in color.
Antoinette, who did not want to be on camera is a resident who lives in a neighborhood where the canal is in her backyard.
Widening of the canal as part of the Yokely Bayou Basin Drainage Project has been happening for a few months now but it wasn’t until nearly two weeks ago Antoinette was affected.
“We’ve been smelling sewage and the canal turned black and its just you can’t even sit outside and enjoy yourself,” Antoinette said. “You feel nauseated you get headaches. I mean I don’t even want my little boy playing out here.”
Antionette reached out to the city last week.
“I’ve contacted the mayor and our parish council and they got on it and replied back but it’s the sewer district their telling us,” Antoinette said.
St. Mary Parish Consolidated Gravity Drainage District No. 1 Chairman Chad Gianfala said the city dumps their wastewater into that canal after it is filtered and it is then pumped out.
He said its supposed to be clean water and this has nothing to do with the drainage district. He said treated water is supposed to come out/pump stations on the end of the canal.
According to the City of Franklin, The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality was called in and visited Franklin’s sewer plant on Tuesday morning to look into the problem.
Louisiana Department of Environmental Qauilty Communications Director Greg Langley said in a statement “the incident in franklin is still under investigation. sewage can pose as a health hazard. residents should avoid coming into direct contact with untreated/raw sewage."
Antoinette said the canal is making one of her family members sick.
“I have someone that has been suffering with headaches, nausea,” Antoinette said. ‘He started throwing up he sounds congested, like he’s losing his voice but he’s always outside.”
Gianfala said the completion of the Yokely Bayou Basin Drainage Project should be near completion soon.
