SOUTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Consistent rain led to hazardous conditions in one local neighborhood. Residents say a sewer line backed up and flooded three homes on West Forrest Avenue in East Point.
Monica Losnick said sewage has flooded her basement three times in the past 10 days.
"It was mortifying," said Losnick. "It's not the type of mess you can just clean up with a bucket of soap and water."
A city representative says the constant rain has produced more runoff water than usual and that has played a part in the flooding.
"It had gone into the finished side of our basement," said Losnick. "They had to take furniture out, take a wall out because it was contaminated."
A city crew came out and pumped the line, but Losnick and her family say the fix was only temporary.
"They tried to put a Band-Aid on it," said Mike Stone. "(They) tried to clean out the drains but it didn't work (the flooding) happened two more times."
While the rain was a factor, a city representative says the dumping of cooking oil, motor oil, baby wipes and garage rags is clogging the system.
"I think it's a shame," said Losnick. "When we looked in the manhole we saw it all."
Residents researched the problem and found that installing a backflow valve could protect them during the next big rain, but city's watershed office says residents would have to cover that cost.
"I think that's a joke," said Losnick.
"I think they should put one in for me," said Stone.
The neighbors say a permanent fix would be more practical for the city, especially since the City of East Point will likely reimburse residents for what they've spent on plumbing and cleanup.
"I fear it's going to happen again until they really do a solution," said Losnick.