City trying to do what it can
By Jarod Wells
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.
Read more: Local, Health, Water Issue, Community
GRIGGSVILLE, ILL. -- A Griggsville, Illinois man says his yard has been flooding with raw sewage for more than 20 years.
We received a call here at KHQA saying whenever heavy rains hit the Tri-States, ground water gets into a sanitary sewer and floods nearby yards with water and sewage.
KHQA's Jarod Wells found out more about the problem and talked to the mayor about what can be done.
Rick Lister has been living on W Walnut Street in Griggsville for 22 years. And says he has been dealing with flooding the entire time.
"The manhole about a block up the street from us overflows whenever we get heavy rain or constant rain. That infiltrates the sewer system, through cracked lines, etc., and causes an overflow of raw sewage and rain water," said Lister.
Lister says he is concerned not only for his grandkids and his family, but others in the area as well. He told KHQA he's brought his concerns to every mayor and every city council since he has lived there.
"They have stated that yes they are concerned, they wish it wasn't overflowing, but there's nothing they can do. They make the improvements that they can on a yearly basis," said Lister.
But the problem remains.
"I'm asking them to continue their long-term plan, but also at the same time come up with a short term resolution," said Lister.
Mayor Kent Goewey says the city has already put about $100,000 into the sewer line that runs into Lister's property, including sewer cleaning and camera work. But the real problem is, workers can't find where the water is getting into the sanitary sewer.
Lister says he is ready to take matters in to his own hands, and put a culvert in his yard, forcing the sewage and water under his yard rather than through it. But the state says the ditch on his property is a natural water way important for drainage, and he would have to use a certain width of tube, which would get expensive. A culvert also would push the problem to the next property owner.
Goewey says the city is currently looking for every possible source of funding. And the sewer near Lister's property would be the first project. The mayor understands Lister's frustration, but says the city can't do anything until money becomes available.
The sewer backing up near Rick Lister's property is actually the newest in the city.
But Mayor Goewey says it has never worked properly.
When money is available, the city would try and re-line the sewer, which has solved other problems throughout the city.
