On Thursday, Picayune’s Head Start facility had to call parents to pick up their children due to a sewage backup in the facility.

Director John Guy said the smell was initially thought to be due to a natural gas leak, but after calling the Picayune Fire Department to check on the complaint, it was determined to be due to the septic tank pump failing, causing sewage to backup.

Guy said he expects the issue to be resolved by Thursday afternoon, allowing the center to reopen on Friday.