IOSHA gets two complaints over sewage backup at Monroe County justice building
IOSHA received two complaints alleging unsafe conditions after sewage and water came through ceilings at Monroe County’s justice building. The agency is not planning an inspection for now, but has ordered the county to investigate and report findings and corrective action within five working days.
The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration (IOSHA) has received two separate complaints alleging unsafe conditions after sewage and water came through ceilings at Monroe County’s Charlotte T. Zietlow Justice Center.
In two letters to Monroe County government dated Aug. 6, 2026, IOSHA gives the same description of the alleged hazard: Toilets were plugged, sewage and water came through the ceiling, and an office is alleged not to have been cleaned up afterward. The letters identify the second and third floors as the location. [Complaint No. 2473934] [Complaint No. 2473949]
The complaints stem from a July 24 sewage backup. A bag containing e-cigarettes flushed down a jail toilet blocked a sewer line and sent wastewater through ceilings into offices below. The justice center was closed for four days while damaged drywall and carpet were removed and affected areas were cleaned, sanitized and dried, according to the Monroe County government.
IOSHA says its Aug. 6 letters are not citations and that the agency has not determined that the alleged hazards exist. For now, no inspection is planned by IOSHA. The letters tell the county government to investigate and report its findings and any corrective action within five working days. An inadequate response could lead to an inspection, according to the letters.
A year ago, another employee complaint was received by IOSHA, also over environmental conditions in the Monroe County justice building. In August 2025, an employee complained about condensation, mold and mildew on the second floor. IOSHA sent a notification letter last year like those sent more recently stemming from the sewage overflows. The mold episode included office closures, remediation and the discovery of Stachybotrys in parts of the prosecutor’s office. VET Environmental did remediation work and issued an 821-page report.
The two new complaints are separate from the even more recent Aug. 4 incident involving toxic gas, which had a rotten-egg smell. That episode stemmed from usage of a liquid drain cleaner that contained sulfuric acid. At least two workers vomited and others reported nausea, headaches and watery eyes.
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