LEXINGTON, S.C. — A stinky problem has plagued the Town of Lexington for almost a year, but relief is finally on the horizon.
A utility truck is parked behind Cho on Main, pumping sewage from downtown Lexington. Those working nearby have said the smell has become frustrating.
"It's a major eye sore, and it sounds terrible, too," Christy Claire said.
"...and it smells really bad," Kellie Rhodes said.
Town Councilman Todd Carnes said the problem traces back to a sewer main laid a century ago under Main Street.
"This started 100 years ago when a sewer main was laid right here through Main Street," Carnes said. "At some point in the past, around 1940, some buildings got built on top of the sewer main, which is a problem."
Over time, buildings were constructed on top of the sewer main, leading to its eventual failure in March 2023.
"The truck here is really an emergency measure to make sure these businesses up and down our thriving Main Street can stay open and do what they do," Carnes said. "And so when the pipe collapsed, we had to find a short-term solution, and that's putting one of our pump trucks here."
However, there is now hope on the horizon.
"The good news is we have a fully-engineered solution, where we will reconnect all of these businesses to a sewer main down the road, that's easily repairable in the future, and that really should be a 100-year solution," Carnes said. "I think timeline-wise, we will award that contract sometime in March, and then there will be some prep time for the contractor to get all geared up so once they start to work they can complete it quickly."
While the exact date for the completion of the project remains uncertain, both businesses and town officials are optimistic.
"We're gonna come down here and crack a bottle of champagne on it and have a party when this thing leaves," Carnes said.
Rhodes and Clare are excited at the prospect of bidding farewell to the "pooper pumper" parked outside their establishment.
The Town of Lexington said it will work to minimize disruptions to businesses along East Main Street during the construction process.
The town doesn't expect road closures as it works to address the longstanding issue.