Hoxie, a town of 2,600, is located in Northeast Arkansas’ Lawrence County.
The Mayor of Hoxie, Dennis Coggins, known for controversies, can now add another to that list.
Three days ago, on Jan. 16th, a satirical Facebook Page titled “City of Hoxie”, posted a video showing the Hoxie wastewater treatment facility pumping raw sewage into a creek running adjacent to the facility.
You can view the video here –
I spoke with Mayor Coggins yesterday who says the practice is now stopped; however, questions remain as to why the City would pump the sewage into the creek to begin with, while residents say the practice has gone on for up to a year.
William Winfrey is the Operations Manager for Water Hog Inc. which neighbors the city’s wastewater treatment facility….Ironically, Water Hog, manufacturers high volume water pumps.
Winfrey stated – “For the last few months Hoxie has been pumping wastewater into the ditch behind our property.”
He described how the foul smell became persistent over the summer and how in the last few weeks the smell became so bad that Water Hog had to reduce their hours of operations.
Since the practice of pumping the sewage into the creek has stopped, Water Hog has resumed its normal working hours.
When I spoke to Mayor Coggins he stated – “We’ve got it all taken care of and talked to ADEQ and we’re all fine now.”….(ADEQ) stands for the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.
I asked Coggins if he remembered who he talked to at (ADEQ) and he said he could not.
He said the issue was due to problems with the pumps and that the city has installed two new ones and went on to state – “They, (the ADEQ), told us we wasn’t allowed to throw it in the ditch….They got on us about that but they understood it had to go somewheres.”
I asked him if he had seen the video, and he said no. I then asked if he wanted me to send it to him and he replied – “No sir ADEQ says we’re fine now so that’s all I care.”
Tomorrow I am contacting and sending Freedom of Information requests to the (ADEQ) to see if they are indeed….fine with it….as Mayor Coggins stated.
Residents don’t seem to share Mayor Coggins’ “water under the bridge” stance.
Coty Powers is not only well known in the Community as a Bail Bondsman and Private Investigator but also as a Citizen advocate with an emphasis in Government oversight.
According to Powers the creek flows through the city and its neighborhoods. He stated – “Rather than getting tanker trucks to come in and take the sewage over the road to the sewage pond they are dumping the sewage in the creek.”
Powers posted a live video on Facebook yesterday from the creek near the wastewater treatment facility talking about the issue and his concern for the community. You can watch it here –
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Dv8wU4ZpF/
Resident Jim Collins who lives next to Water Hog is fed up with the issue. He says the pumping of sewage into the creek has gone on for over a year and stated – “I lived out here for thirty something years and I have to put up with this shit ?”….A statement that is literal fact.
Powers and Collins, along with so many others in Hoxie, not only want answers they want accountability….Something that is ever illusive when it comes to wrongdoing by Government officials.
Follow up to come on this foul story.
#FactsNotFiction
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moc.oohay@nivac.eimmij
Professional Bully Fighter I investigate and report on issues around the State of Arkansas with an emphasis on Government. I am strong conservative however I bring Truth and Facts regardless of Party affiliation….My hashtag is #FactsNotFiction
Has anyone tested the soil or surface water to determine what contamination remains? Did anyone test the groundwater to determine if it is contaminated? Do residents of Hoxie drink the groundwater?
There is more than just sewage that goes down the drain. Chemicals are disposed down the drain. ADEQ should have the surface water, groundwater, and soil tested for Volatile Organic Compounds, Semivolatile Organic Compounds, and metals. I am an environmental consultant and always surprised at what is found in untreated sewage discharge.
No one has done anything around here, no one ever does, no one ever will do anything around here, and to think, our water bill has nearly doubled since October 2024 for roughly the same if not less usage of water, trash, & sewage here. The corrupt run a muck in Hoxie. This story will never get anywhere with the right people, or the right people are just as corrupt, calculated, and without conscious and don’t give a shit.
This is some serious crap!!!