SC man’s toilet explodes, sending sewage into home. He’s suing utility for $30,000 mess
Work being conducted by an Horry County utility caused a man’s toilet to explode, sending sewage into his Murrells Inlet home, according to a lawsuit.
Meltiah Greene filed the suit against Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority, claiming the utility caused sewage to backup into his home when the utility was working on a local subway station on June 28, 2024.
A representative from Grand Strand Water & Sewer said she has not seen the lawsuit and couldn’t comment.
The utility pushed compressed air through the sewer system to break up a grease blockage, when the high pressure in the line caused Greene’s toilet to explode and sewage to flow into his home, according to the suit.
A neighbor came over to assist Greene and was told by Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority employees that they “just blew out the sewer line.”
The sewage backup caused more than $30,000 damage to the home, including the bathroom, floors, tiles, walls, foundation, framing, electrical and other parts of the house, the suit stated.
The suit, filed Dec. 30, 2024, alleges that the utility and its employees were negligent and reckless in that they didn’t warn Greene of the work, take measures so that the home wouldn’t be damaged, and used improper clean-out techniques.
Greene is asking for judgment for actual damages and for costs of the lawsuit.
