City of Columbia v. Lentz

This action was brought by Lentz and wife against the City of Columbia for damages for an alleged nuisance. Plaintiffs live on a farm of 191 acres which is about half a mile from the city limits, and which is watered by Little Bigby Creek. The city has a sewer pipe line which crosses the farm and empties into this creek.

Plaintiffs charged in their declaration that defendant city overtaxed the capacity of its sewer and caused it to discharge large quantities of raw sewage from its manholes in their field and into the creek; that this sewage contained waste from sinks, baths and toilets…