Lafayette, LA — Residents of Stone Bridge Apartments are expressing frustration and distress after their units were recently flooded with sewage water, causing significant damage and health concerns. Stacy Jules and Christina Simon, longtime tenants, are among those affected by the incident, which began with a plumbing issue in the building’s main drain line.
According to on-site maintenance staff, the issue was first noticed on Thursday, December 12, when a leaking drain cap was discovered. After further inspection, maintenance workers found that sewage was backing up through the main line. A commercial drain cleaner was brought in, and the line was cleared after running for several hours. The situation was thought to be resolved at the time, but the problem resurfaced over the weekend.
On Sunday, December 15, management received a call reporting flooding in one of the lower-level units. Upon investigation, it was determined that the sewage backup had once again overflowed into residents’ apartments due to an issue with the main drain line.
Jules, who has lived at Stone Bridge Apartments for several years, expressed frustration over the recurring plumbing problems. “When people upstairs put things in the drainage, it backs up into the lower apartments,” she explained. “Mine and the lady across from me were the worst hit, but it comes to me because I’m at the end of the line.”
Jules, visibly shaken, continued, “This could have been fixed already, but it keeps happening. The plumbing is really bad. Something has to be done. We can’t keep going through this.”
For Jules, the situation is more than just an inconvenience — it’s a health concern. “I’m catching chest pains, my body hurts, and then I have to deal with walking into urine and feces in my apartment. It’s disgusting. Something’s got to be done about this.”
Christina Simon, a neighbor who also experienced flooding in her unit, described the damage to her apartment. “Everything in my apartment is wet from the sewage,” Simon said. “The whole front of my place, the whole house, is ruined. Even underneath my bed — I have a CPAP machine — I couldn’t sleep in my bed. I’m on the sofa now. It’s a place to sleep, but it’s not where I’m supposed to be.”
Simon expressed frustration with the handling of the situation. “They should have done something before it flooded my apartment. They could have stopped it before things got this bad.”
In response to the incident, apartment management confirmed that a remediation team has been deployed to the affected units. Blow-dryers and industrial blowers were used to dry out the units, with plans for a follow-up inspection once the equipment is removed. Management also announced that a unit-by-unit inspection of the entire property is currently underway to ensure there are no additional issues.
“We are committed to resolving this issue and ensuring the health and safety of our residents,” a management spokesperson said. “We are in the process of scheduling a meeting with both Ms. Jules and Ms. Simon to discuss any damage to their personal property and address their concerns.”
Despite management’s efforts, both residents are seeking more immediate action and support. They emphasized that the repeated flooding and lack of a permanent fix have left them feeling unsafe and neglected in their own homes.
As of now, the affected residents are awaiting further updates and hoping for a lasting resolution to the ongoing plumbing issues at Stone Bridge Apartments.