Sewer back-up empties Whitley courthouse Tuesday

Workers will begin Wednesday to fix the aging plumbing system that is responsible for the leak.

The Whitley County Clerk’s Office, the Sheriff’s Department, the County Attorney’s Office and the PVA office at the old Whitley County Courthouse closed early Tuesday, but county officials say that they would have rather been open rather than have the stinky problem.

Whitley County Clerk Kay Schwartz said that her office closed early because of a recurring problem with sewer water backing up in the middle room of her office.

"Sewer water runs in my office putting the public in danger and us also. It’s a nasty mess," Schwartz said. "I closed my office and sent my staff home. We can’t use the bathrooms. Of course the smell was really bad. It was awful."

Schwartz sent her staff home about 11 a.m. Tuesday, and she left about noon. Schwartz said that by the time she left, the sewer water had quit backing up into the office.

The mess should be cleaned in time for all offices to open as usual Wednesday morning.

Whitley County Projects Director Amber Owens said that contrary to some rumors, the courthouse wasn’t evacuated, but that several offices voluntarily closed early due to the problem.

Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. said that all public restrooms remained open during the day, and that the only facilities that were affected were private restrooms in the county clerk’s office and the county attorney’s office, which are on the older part of the building’s plumbing system.

Schwartz said the same problem happened a couple of weeks ago, but her staff was able to work through it for the remaining hour of the day. It has happened other times too.

"If it happens more than once to me, it is quite often," she said. "I appreciate everybody’s effort, but it’s just an ongoing problem that needs to be solved."

White’s office promises that they will get the problem fixed.

White described the problem as an aging sewer system in part of the courthouse, and a meeting was held Monday with a plumber about resolving this issue.

The plumber turned in a quote for the repair Tuesday morning, and is scheduled to begin work Wednesday morning.

"The work will entail removing the floor and excavating six feet deep by the northern door to the sheriff’s office hallway to uncover a collapsed sewer line that services the 80-year old part of the building," White said in a news release. The door in question is located on the old post office side of the courthouse.

"During the time of the repair, the glass doors on the northern side of the building will be out of order and that corner of the hallway will be closed," White added.

Unfortunately for Schwartz, she didn’t get to enjoy the rest of the day off Tuesday. She had election training later that evening.