A dangerous eyesore in an Omaha neighborhood is finally getting attention after Six On Your Side exposed the hazard. Now there’s concern the abandoned swimming pool wasn't drained properly.
The curiosity of neighborhood kids should dry up as the murky water was pumped out and the pool boarded over. “Kids won't be curious about going back there trying to catch some frogs and all that, the nasty water is gone,” said neighbor Chase Blackmore.
Six On Your Side and a county inspector found the property near 191st and C streets unsecured last month. “We found out the property is in foreclosure," said the inspector.
Neighbor Stacey Vieth was glad to see the pool drained. She's just not happy that the mix of rain and pool water was being pumped into the street. “It doesn't really smell very pleasant around here today, but it's being taken care of."
Omaha's chief plumbing inspector said it's against city code to pump pool water into the street or storm drain. Hoses must lead into a sanitary sewer, so a city inspector will check if the pool was properly drained. “The pool getting cleaned out, they're covering it up, so at least they're doing something about it now," said Vieth.
Now that the back yard pool was taken care of, neighbors have another question. What about all the mold inside? Can the house be repaired so a family can buy it and move in?
Repairs inside the home may be costly and time consuming, but outside it still has curb appeal. “Hopefully another family with some more kids just 'cause we're so close around here, more kids the merrier," said Vieth.
Six On Your Side received some answers from Wells Fargo about why it took this long to take care of this. Once the home loan was in default and the lender was unable to contact the owner, monthly external inspections began.
Inspectors found signs people lived there, including tire tracks in the snow in winter and mowed lawns in spring and summer. The pool was drained when it was confirmed the house was abandoned.