Residents say sewer water flooded Port Richmond homes

This is a nightmare --flooding in people's Port Richmond homes. The water is from toilets and yes that's a rat. Neighbors are disgusted because of the sewage back-up after the torrential rains earlier this week.

Kristina Lindsey still gets sick to her stomach--can you blame her? Sewer water was coming up through the toilet. Yes, a swimming pool of raw sewage in their new basement.

"The minute the water started coming up, I was like this is 100 percent sewage. Brown in color dark just muck everywhere," Demetrious Lindsey told FOX 29.

The Lindsey's are not alone--all 4 newly built homes on the 2800 block of Agate Street in Port Richmond had major sewer backups--ruining thousands of dollars worth of furniture and carpeting not to mention the irreplaceable..

"Family things like the photos--everything had to go," Demetrious explained.

Since it's not in a flood plain none had flood insurance or a backflow valve that may have prevented what is now thousands of dollars in damage

The same thing happened just next door. Fans and industrial dehumidifiers are on full blast and drywall ripped out in the Halbert's home.

And yes--that's a rat in the toilet the flooding left behind. Now, 8-month-old Fiona Halpert's playroom is off limits. Her toys are now in the trash. Her mom an infectious disease doctor is worried about mold.

FOX 29's Chris O'Connell did put a request for information out to the Philadelphia Water Department about the sewer lines on this block. We have not heard back.