JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Crews with the City of Jackson are working to get a sewer situation under control.

The city received reports of a foul stench in Northeast Jackson, prompting them to send crews to assess the situation around Ridgewood Road and Atkins Boulevard.

Public Works Director Robert Lee said they determined that the main sewer line near White Oak Creek slid into the creek due to erosion. He said they’re working with contractors to get the sewer line fixed.

“It’s not pleasant at all, to say the least. Right now, we do have a contractor out along White Oak Creek. They’re working on getting a bypass pump set up to catch the sewage that’s flowing in the creek and pump it around the failure point and put it back into that main sewer pipe. And we’re also working with that contractor on a longer range solution,” said Lee.

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a heightened water contact advisory for the creek in May.

MDEQ was onsite on Monday, June 5 to assess the situation. Lee said they hope to have the bypass pump in place before the end of Tuesday, June 6.