Neighborhood Floods With Every Rainstorm, Residents Say City Ignores Problem

DENVER (CBS4) - For one neighborhood in Denver, nearly every rainstorm comes with a flooded street, and some homeowners believe the city is ignoring the problem.

Video taken on Jeanne Shulze's cellphone from Sunday afternoon shows what her street looks like nearly every time it rains. Clothing, mattresses and ripped up carpet littered front lawns after the storm.

"It was about a foot high up against the house," she said.

Neighbor Tom Grant said, "It happens in about 10 minutes."

Storm drains along East 33rd Avenue and Olive Street can't keep up with all the water, forcing debris and other unwanted items into homes.

"Every time I get my sewer water bill, my blood boils. I'm like why am I paying this fee when it's all ending up in my yard?" Shulze said.

Denver Public Works says the city is aware of the drainage issue and plans are in place to repair the problem.

Tom Grant doesn't believe it, saying, "we've been told by city officials, we're gonna fix it, we're gonna fix it, we're gonna fix it. Time and time again."

City officials told CBS4 they're in the design phase of repairing faulty pipes and drains in the area, yet there is no timeline for when anything will be fixed.

"My neighbor has lived her since 1971 and he said it's been doing it since they moved here. So why is the city now deciding to draw up some plans?" said Shulze.

With more storms predicted to hit the metro area, this neighborhood is once again bracing for the worst.