BULLS HEAD, Staten Island (PIX11) — Residents in the Bulls Head section of Staten Island say a foul odor has made some homes nearly unlivable for months.
Overcome with emotion, Deborah Phelps-Seda said the odor problem has been persistent since early December and has made daily life unbearable for her and her children.
“I just want this nightmare to be over,” said Phelps-Seda. “I really just want this to be over.”
She added, “It literally smells like rotten eggs or rotten broccoli.”
She said the smell has, at times, forced her to stay in a hotel or with family. With a son who has asthma, she’s especially worried about air quality and whether the foul odor poses safety risks.
“I am so frustrated, and I cry a lot about it because as a mother, you feel helpless,” Phelps-Seda said. “How do I protect my children?”
Her neighbor, Amity Nigro, said her family has also evacuated multiple times. The residents have been trying to get to the bottom of where the strong stench is coming from.
“Even in the shower at one point, it was like I was showering in a sewer,” Nigro said.
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She added, “My neighbor downstairs, Deb, called the fire department, and they tested. So, we knew it wasn’t anything within the household.”
The New York City Department of Sanitation tells PIX 11 News it does not believe any of its facilities are the source of the odor and that its operations would not produce the type of smell residents are reporting.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement, “Crews inspected and cleaned the sewers at Merrill and Graham Avenues and found all infrastructure to be operating as intended. We have also installed filtration devices in nearby sewer manholes to help reduce odors. DEP is currently monitoring the situation through wastewater and air sampling, and our investigation into the cause remains ongoing.”
According to Councilman David Carr, National Grid has ruled out a gas leak. He’s now calling on the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to join DEP in the investigation.
“Even if they can’t necessarily help figure out the cause of the problem, maybe they can give an assessment as to the actual public health impacts that may be happening here,” said Carr.
As the smell continues to linger, residents said they’re desperate for answers and calling for a solution.
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