JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Normandy Village Utility has been the bane of customer complaints, from billing to lack of maintenance. Now the Co-Op owned utility is the focus of two investigations.
"Down here is where they dumped the sewage at," said Reuben Moody, a field worker, who said he's blowing the whistle on his employer. "They did it after hour after everybody left."
Moody claims his fellow coworkers loaded up a front loader with untreated sludge and dumped it illegally.
Cellphone video shows a man on the tractor-like machine moving back and forth with something in the bucket.
Moody has worked for the company for four years. Now on leave, he took us deep into the woods behind the Normandy Village Utility.
"They are down here dumping raw sewage on the ground," he said.
He showed us what looked like freshly turned dirt and buried pipes.
"I participated in covering up a pipe in dumping raw sewage into the creek, which I showed to DEP (Florida Department of Environment Protection)," he said.
DEP has an active investigation. This is a statement from Russell Simpson of the DEP:
"Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Northeast District Compliance staff are conducting an active, thorough investigation into a complaint received Jan. 7, 2020 regarding wastewater disposal practices of Normandy Village Utility.
Protection of public health and safety and the environment is our top priority.
The Department takes all potential unauthorized improper disposal of biosolids seriously and will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding any illegal waste practices, including any discharges associated with this improper disposal.
In the event of unauthorized waste water discharges, DEP responds with a three-pronged approach: (1) work with the facility to identify any releases and ensure the release is stopped as quickly as possible; (2) gather and analyze information surrounding the circumstances of the reported incident to evaluate it from a regulatory perspective to determine if there were any violations; and (3) identify any further corrective actions required.
DEP directed Normandy Village Utilities to sample the nearby public drinking water supply well on January 14th. Results for bacteria meets drinking water standards and has no impact on the well from the activities under investigation. The Department has directed the collection of weekly samples until this case has been resolved.
As indicated, the investigation by Northeast District compliance staff is still ongoing."
Residents are outraged. Rick Craig lives next to the area in question and said he has seen the workers suspicious activity.
"I think it is disgusting, it is harmful for kids and something needs to be done about it," he said.
On Your Side reached out to the utility. The managing director, Dorothy Letien wrote:
"Normandy Village Utility routinely stores biosolids on-site at its facility as authorized by its permit. Normandy Village Utility was informed that a small amount of biosolids stored on-site may have been placed outside of the on-site biosolids storage area.
Normandy Village Utility is conducting a self-audit of its operations and procedures, conducting testing in cooperation with
Department of Environmental Protection, and will take corrective actions if needed to remedy any issues at its facility.
Normandy Village Utility regularly conducts testing at its facilities to ensure the health and safety of its operations."
"If I hadn't had told on them I would still be at work now," Moody said.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also has an open inspection of the company. Spokesperson Michael D Aquino confirmed the investigation but didn't add any other information about the investigation.
Moody is now seeking protection under the Florida Whistle - Blower Act, while both OSHA and DEP conclude their investigations into Normandy Village utility.