Septic Tank Troubles

On a warm day the smell coming from Ken Kronebusch's backyard is unbearable.
"There's no describing it. It's unreal," said Kronebusch. "Everyone in this neighborhood is aware of the smell, and they all know where it's coming from."
A leaking septic tank on a neighbor's property is the problem. The sewage flows down a hill and under Kronebusch's fence. He's built a second fence around it, trying to keep the sewage from spreading.
"I called the county health department. The county health department at that time was very unhelpful. I don't know who I talked to, but they'd tell me things like if you lived in the city limits, you wouldn't be having these problems," he says.
Kronebusch says he's been trying to get the mess cleaned up for two years. The house where the sewage is coming from is a rental, and the landlord lives in Kentucky. So, he called News Five for help.
Keith Smith, the Director of Inspections for the Mobile County Health Department, tells News Five his first documented complaint from Kronebusch was in October. Since then, Smith says his department has been working with the property owner to get the problem fixed.
"Everything was exasperated by the fact that we have an absentee owner. There were some real communication problems as far as getting ahold of the guy and getting him to do something," said Smith.
Smith insists the property owner will have the septic tank fixed by the first of next week.
Kronebusch says he'll have to see it to believe it.
"If I had a nickel for every time someone down there since last November has told me they're on top of it. They'll be out there. They'll have a contractor back out there. They'll follow up on it. If I nickel for all that, I'd have a couple of bucks," said Kronebusch.