October 23rd, 2011 10:35 PM by Dan Howard
This is an open sewer at the front of a basement. The basement smelled of sewer gas which is both unpleasant and unhealthy. The cap had been removed because the city sewage was often backing into the basement. When this happened, the drain needed snaked out. The plumber left this pipe open so that his job would be easier. The illnesses found in sewage can and do make people ill.
The other important health issue relating to the sewage backup is what they did not tell the homeowners. Sweeping up the dirt and "debris" after it dried puts the bacteria into the air so that it could contaminate the lungs of the person using the broom.