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Temporary fix means sewage stench fills businesses in Orion

The vile smell of sewage lingers along 11th Avenue in the small village of Orion, Illinois. The problem, which stems from sewage gas seeping from an open manhol...

The vile smell of sewage lingers along 11th Avenue in the small village of Orion, Illinois.

The problem, which stems from sewage gas seeping from an open manhole, has haunted those along 11th Avenue for more than five years, according to Jim Larson, the owner of Larson's Body Shop which sits just feet away from the open manhole.

"The sewage smell comes in big time when the wind is out of the south," said Larson.

The grotesque odor produces an unpleasant work environment for Larson and his employees.

"It's really bad when you are trying to eat lunch here," Larson said.

Larson, who has been looking for answers from village officials since 2009, said he's frustrated with Orion's make-shift fix, which is a tarp-covered picnic table that sits atop the exposed man hole. Below the picnic table lies an exhaust fan that ventilates the fumes 24/7.

While he is frustrated, Larson said he understands that the village may not have proper funding to fix the matter, but said after five years, something must be done.

News 8 reached out the mayor of Orion and the Illinois EPA, but neither have returned our calls.

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