FRUSTRATED homeowners have been forced to pay thousands to repair water damage caused by the city.
A Georgia resident has slammed the DeKalb County leadership for neglecting its drain pipes, causing deep erosion to her property.
Homeowner Amanda Hammett said this is the second time this has happened in the last 3 years, as reported by ABC Atlanta local affiliate WSB-TV.
It was Hammett’s neighbor who initially noticed the pools of water blocking her driveway as she was driving down the block.
Because of the excessive flooding, Hammett can’t use her driveway at all.
She said this happens whenever there’s a waterline break in her neighborhood.
Three years ago, the WSB crew visited the same spot when the water line break created a massive sink hole outside Hammett’s home.
After WSB’s story aired, the county finally thought to repair the sinkhole – but the problem persists.
“It was round two,” Hammett said. “We’re very frustrated.”
The homeowner’s plumber took pictures of the decaying water pipe, which was beginning to rust.
From the picture, it was clear that the bottom of the metal drain had eroded.
Not only that, trying to fix the problem has created more headaches for Hammett.
According to Hammett, a repair done three years ago led to water runoff, resulting in significant erosion of her property. This erosion caused dirt and land to fall into itself, forming large craters in her yard, as reported by WSB.
Georgia homeowners are frustrated that they are having to pay for repairs on the county’s storm drains.
Hammett’s neighbor, Bob Gillespie, said the erosion is also affecting his property.
“I can look at my carport and part of the carport is slanted in, the foundation is caving in,” Gillespie said.
You can’t expect the homeowner to be responsible for taking care of county storm drains. It’s ridiculous.
Bob Gillespie
“You can’t expect the homeowner to be responsible for taking care of county storm drains. It’s ridiculous,” he said.
A concrete driveway costs an average of $2,700 to $14,500 to repair, according to Angi, a homeowner services company.
Depending on the size, finish, and cost of materials, homeowners usually spend $6,400 to repair a driveway.
However, there are instances in which homeowners have paid upwards of $20,000 for repairs, depending on the layout of the driveway.
Anyone in Hammett’s situation should consider driveway size, contractor costs, type of concrete, and location before making repairs.
The DeKalb County has not immediately replied to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
