ATLANTA — In any other circumstance, the sound of water flowing would be calming, but for Washington Park resident Wayne Pittman, it’s a sign that he has a massive clean-up ahead of him.
“The infrastructure and the water drainage system is just really messed up. We complain to the city all the time about what’s going on with the flooding over here and it's no relief for us whatsoever,” Pittman said. “As you can see, the water gets so high, it's overflowing into my yard. I have a basement door here and another basement door on the other side. The water gets so high it overflows into my yard.”
Pittman says there have been issues in his home for at least the last five years and it's cost him thousands of dollars and threatened his health.
“My doctors prescribed me albuterol and another inhaler. I kept asking him what was the problem. He said that I had been around lots of mold, mildew and other environmental stuff,” said Pittman.
High water on Wednesday came after a group of Atlanta residents last week announced plans to file a series of lawsuits against the city because of sewage and flooding issues.
Pittman says he plans to file a lawsuit against the city this week.
He’s seeking $3 million and hopes the city will take action to stop the flooding in the area.
The Department of Water Management sent the following statement to 11Alive:
During heavy rain events, the Department of Water Management (DWM) quickly sends out its crews to tackle any flooding issues that may arise. The crews work to ensure that each incident is investigated and resolved as quickly as possible. The DWM crews typically arrive on the scene within an hour to assess the situation and determine the necessary measures and timeframe to address the issue.
At 12:35 p.m., a specialist assessed 264 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd. and found that the catch basin required cleaning. However, traffic control measures are needed to work safely within this location, and staff is currently working to install those measures. A manager will contact the customer to address questions or concerns and provide any assistance needed.
Despite the heavy rainfall, DWM has received 17 calls regarding flooding since yesterday.