Truck dumps waste water, flooding Benton Co. homeowner’s lawn

CAMDEN, Tenn. — Benton County deputies said the driver of an 18-wheeler was caught dumping waste water along Highway 641 in Camden. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is now investigating, trying to figure out exactly what was dumped.

An anonymous phone call led to an investigation into a local trucking company who appears to be dumping waste water illegally.

Homeowner James Webb’s yard was flooded by the waste. “I went over there and talked to the boy. He said it ain’t anything but pure water, but evidently it’s more than pure water,” Webb said.

“It was an 18-wheeler tanker, which they were dumping it just across the road here behind us and that it was running under the highway and coming out of this man’s yard,” said Investigator Alan Bolan with the Benton County Sheriff’s Department.

Bolan said the truck driver presented a receipt that said the water was a non-toxic waste water.

“Have the EPA that’s been advised TDEC is here on the scene and they’re going to test this to see if it’s anything toxic or anything that’s hazard to the community,” Bolan said.

Webb said this is not the first time his yard has been flooded with waste water. He said it has happen multiple times within the last three weeks.

“Water gets six to eight inches deep when they turn it loose up there. Luckily I have that ditch it runs down in,” Webb said.

“It’s not clear water. It’s black ,it has an odor, it smells something like raw sewage,” Bolan said.

Water samples were taken and will be sent to be tested. Officials said the water was supposed to be taken to a water facility treatment plant in Dyersburg.

Investigators are looking into similar incidents that may have occurred in two more counties. Results from the water samples should be back in about a week.