For nearly a decade, residents living near the Tuscany Meadows subdivision in

Harker Heights

have dealt with an unpleasant and persistent issue—sewage overflow from a nearby manhole. Now, those homeowners are demanding answers, and city leaders say they’re working around the clock to fix it.

A Tuscany Meadows resident says ongoing sewage overflows behind her home have become unbearable.

Carey Stites told 6 News she’s reported repeated manhole leaks near Trimmier Creek since 2016, with three incidents just this month.

“It smells like a porta potty,” Stites said. “We work hard for our homes, and we can’t even enjoy our backyards.”

Stites says she’s reached out to city leaders, environmental agencies and the Army Corps of Engineers — but says she hasn’t received any productive response.

“This sewage flows into Trimmier Creek and eventually Stillhouse Lake,” she said. “It’s not just a neighborhood issue — it’s a public health and environmental concern.”

David Mitchell, City Manager of Harker Heights, confirmed in an interview with KCEN 6 News that the root of the problem lies in what’s being flushed into the city’s wastewater system.

“The system itself is functioning as designed,” Mitchell said. “It’s not a failure of engineering—it’s a matter of people putting things into the wastewater system that simply don’t belong there.”

Mitchell explained that past and current overflows were triggered by foreign objects like grease, rags and flushable wipes clogging up key infrastructure. In a 2017 incident, plastic parts believed to have been intentionally dropped into a manhole caused a backup.

Today’s issues stem from a different point in the system: a downstream lift station that handles nearly a million gallons of wastewater per day.

“That lift station has become inundated with materials like flushable wipes, cloth, fishing string and grease,” Mitchell said. “These items jam the pumps, which has led to overflows near the subdivision.”

City crews have reportedly been working nearly 24/7 to manage the situation. Mitchell said bypass pumps have been brought in to redirect the flow while damaged primary pumps are out for repair.

“These are large, 150-horsepower pumps,” Mitchell noted. “They’re critical to keeping the system moving, and the foreign material is doing significant damage.”

Mitchell emphasized the importance of public cooperation, urging residents not to flush or wash inappropriate items down drains.

“This isn’t just about one neighborhood,” he said. “This lift station services a large portion of the city, so items being flushed from anywhere in Harker Heights can contribute to the problem.”

To prevent future overflows, the city is investing in a $1.5 million project to redirect wastewater to a nearby treatment facility operated by WCID No. 1. The new system, expected to be completed in December, will allow gravity to move wastewater instead of relying on pumps.

“That change will take this lift station almost entirely offline,” Mitchell said. “It will dramatically reduce the risk of overflows.”


The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

is also involved. The city has self-reported all overflows, in compliance with state regulations.

For residents eager for an immediate fix, Mitchell acknowledged their frustrations, but asked for continued patience.

“Our crews are doing everything they can, but this is not something you can just flip a switch and solve,” Mitchell said. “When a pump clogs, it takes time to clear and replace it—and until then, the manhole will continue to overflow.”

As Central Texas continues to grow, Mitchell said infrastructure challenges like this are becoming more common in surrounding cities like Belton and Killeen as well.

“Growth means more strain on existing systems,” he said. “Topography in our area doesn’t always allow for simple gravity flow, which is why we’ve had to rely on lift stations, but we’re actively working to evolve past that.”

In the meantime, city leaders stress the importance of public awareness.

“If it’s not toilet paper or human waste, it doesn’t belong in the system,” Mitchell said.