MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s a pretty big deal, but just how much do you know about the sewage spill on McKellar Lake? Community leaders say not enough.
McKellar Lake, a place where many come for relaxation and fun, now has many worried about whether it’s safe.
“We don’t know if it’s leaked over into the pool where the kids are gonna be fishing this summer,” said Wanda Langford, a neighbor.
On Friday, in front of McKellar Lake and its tainted waterways that are now closed off, several community leaders called for action.
“What we got is what you got on TV. News blitz and that was it. We feel that something this major should have been a call to the community,” said Pastor Ralph White of Bloomfield Baptist Church.
“This just happened all of a sudden and then they tell me 20 years. My next question is when did they last check? What did they check for, what did they find, what did they publish, what did they do? ” said Sara Lewis, a neighbor.
So Monday, they plan on having a community meeting at Bloomfield Baptist Church to get answers.
“The effect it has on our health and our children’s health,” said Charles Clark, a neighbor.
“We really need to find out what their plan is for clean up, treatment, what have you. That’s a massive amount of raw sewage to be in one place,” said Rita Harris of the Sierra Club.
“We have to be very alert and vigilant about these things because it doesn’t happen in Germantown. They don’t build a refinery in Collierville,” said Madeline Taylor of the Memphis NAACP.
The City said the raw sewage that spilled into McKellar Lake and led to fish dying was caused by a ruptured line.
Millions of gallons of waste got into the water.
The city said clean up is underway, but lawmakers, on WREG’s Live at Nine called for more.
“Right way, Flint crossed my mind. If it happened in Flint, it appears it’s going to happen here in Memphis. I think all resources, state, federal and local, that can be brought together to put the best minds together because this will ultimately impact all of us,” said Tennessee Representative Johnnie Turner.
City officials are expected at Monday’s community meeting.
Citizens said they hope they come with answers.
“This is a major issue and we need to treat it that way,” said Pastor White.
The community meeting on the sewage spill is Monday April 11, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. at Bloomfield Baptist Church on 123 South Parkway West.