TRINITY COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — All inmates at the Trinity County Jail have been evacuated due to flooding and a sewage backup inside the facility, according to the sheriff.
The jail, located at the sheriff’s office in Groveton, was already operating above capacity. Sheriff Woody Wallace said the facility is designed to hold seven inmates, but was housing 13 when the plumbing failure occurred, putting the jail out of compliance with state standards.
A photo shared by the sheriff shows sewage backing up inside the jail. A plumbing company determined the problem stems from collapsed, old cast-iron pipes. Major repairs are needed, and the county is currently waiting on a cost estimate, the sheriff said.
As a temporary solution, Trinity County has reached an agreement with Jasper County to house all inmates. Jasper County will take in the inmates at a rate of $100 per inmate per day, which the sheriff said is a standard fee. Wallace noted that several other counties declined to help before Jasper County agreed.
The evacuation came after the Texas Commission on Jail Standards contacted the sheriff’s office Tuesday morning, urging immediate action to protect the health and safety of inmates, the sheriff said.
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