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Pennsport Residents Woke Up To 'Total Mess' Due To Tropical Storm Fay, Ongoing Sewer Project

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A neighborhood in South Philadelphia woke up under mud and water. This is after Tropical Storm Fay passed over the city, but also because of an ongoing sewer project.

Residents say their street has been in a state of disrepair for nearly a year, and when it rains it pours.

"A total disgrace. A total mess," homeowner Tom O'Neill said.

A mess on the 200 block of Watkins Street in Pennsport. Water and sewer lines are being replaced, but in heavy rains -- like the ones from Tropical Storm Fay on Friday -- the street floods and neighbors say water gets in their basements.

"Normally, it would be a big puddle," Eileen Carey said.

"I'm screwed one way or the other. I fixed it on my own dime and now, I'm getting water from the front of my house because of all this nonsense," O'Neill said.

O'Neill shared photos with Eyewitness News.

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(credit: Tom O'Neill)
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(credit: Tom O'Neill)
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(credit: Tom O'Neill)

He says he paid out of pocket to repair the damage he says was caused by the project. More so, he says with the continued construction and lack of city services, the street is becoming an eyesore.

"We haven't had access to a full street since October and that means bringing our trash down here, not able to get deliveries or anything like that," O'Neill said.

Workers with Miniscalco Construction based out of Skippack were back on job at 8 a.m. Saturday. They refused to answer questions about the neighbors' concerns.

But Carey, who has to hose off her front steps because of mud and dust, says the contractors have helped her in the past when the water got into her basement.

"Absolutely, he did. They came and pumped out water, and then I had someone come in because it was a weekend and he reimbursed me, gave me a check," Carey said.

O'Neill says this project needs to be over and done with.

"They told us it was going to be complete and a functional street within six weeks," he said, "and it's not like that."

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