Two men arrested for dumping raw sewage into Humble storm drain

HUMBLE, TX (KTRK) -- Two men appeared before a judge today following their arrest in Humble last Friday.

Dennis Townsend, 47, and Juan Martinez, 41, are accused of felony illegal dumping.

On July 17, police say a concerned citizen called to report the men allegedly dumping waste into a storm drain in front of the self-serve carwash on the 1300 block of S. Houston Ave.

"A resident witnessed the two men allegedly pull up in a bus and start dumping raw sewage into a storm drain," Humble police detective Sergeant Mike Flynt said. "The resident filmed the two men as they reportedly dumped the sewage. When officers arrived, the observed there was toilet paper on the grade and the smell of raw sewage."

Police say the men were operating a small passenger bus with the name "Regent Limo" displayed on the side of the vehicle.

A spokesperson with the Texas Commisssion on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) tells us that this type of crime has a much broader impact on public health, saying that such waste impacts the surface water, which is often treated and used for drinking water.

"This kind of waste affects the surface water, which is often treated and used for drinking water. When it's contaminated with excess human waste and other chemicals, it requires even more treatment to make it safe to drink," said Andrea Morrow of TCEQ.

Police say that felony illegal dumping charges carry a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Read the full story on The Humble Observer, one of our Houston Community Newspaper partners.