Local

Eustis residents weary of sour smells from food plant

EUSTIS, Fla. — Some Eustis residents have been complaining about standing water near their homes, that they said smells like raw sewage.
 
The water is near the Florida Food Products plant.
 
Residents who live near the plant said they are used to smells coming from the food processing plant. They said it often smells of onions, which they don't mind, but they said they can't stomach the smell coming from the standing water.
Sandra Lewis said some days she covers her face once she steps outside.
 
"It's been smelling like rotten sewage, like you have septic backing up into your home," said Lewis.
 
Lewis lives along Country Road 44 in Eustis, not far from the plant. She and her neighbors blame the smell on the water standing outside the facility.
 
"Hopefully the wind won't come out of the north. That's when we have a real bad problem with the smell," said resident Tom McCarroll.
 
Channel 9's Julie Salomone found a 13-page document from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection that details the problem.
 
The state sent a letter to the company about possible violations. According to documents, company officials said new equipment at the facility and increased production has created an excessive flow of wastewater to the spray fields. That, they said, has created a pool of standing water.
 
"And were all concerned about the continuing problem across the street the rising level of the water," said McCarroll.
 
The state added the plant has until Thursday to reduce the water to the levels designated in their permit or face fines.
 
"We are good neighbors. They need to be a good neighbor, too," said Lewis.
 
The company president told Salomone that recent rains have not helped the standing water problem. He said primary production will end in two weeks, which should reduce the amount of standing water.