Garbage is Culprit of Flooding in Savannah

When it rains in Savannah its safe to assume you’ll have some flooding.
For several years now the City has been working to remedy the situation.
Tackling the areas where structural flooding occurred first, these are some of the projects they’ve completed:
          Casey South also known as the Ardsley Park Project,
          Alice Tattnall on the Westside of Downtown
        Jackson Woods between DeRenne and Stephenson,
        Wilshire on the Southside
        Pump Stations at DeRenne and Montgomery Crossroad
Currently they’re working on drainage improvements in the Fernwood/Parkwood Neighborhoods.
“3 On Your Side” Community Reporter Alice Massimi is here to explain that despite those efforts… some neighborhoods still have issues.

The city has spent more than two hundred million dollars improving drainage, which seems like more than enough money to fix the issue and it is but as I learned in one Eastside Neighborhood it’s another problem that’s plaguing their drainage, garbage.
Cynthia Kennedy knows what the rain brings to her Park Avenue Neighborhood flooding.
Already in a low lying area the roads ended up looking like rivers.
She took these pictures last week after heavy rain.
“Water came down and that street was flooded you couldn’t even see that fire hydrant see where it is on the corner you couldn’t even see it,” says Kennedy.
Monday’s rain brought more of the same problems…
“Her car was right there. Do you see where that puddle is, the water was up to the tire level. The water was like up to here so she couldn’t get in from where she was on the street,” she says pointing to the car’s tire. 
Kennedy says it’s frustrating especially since there’s an easy fix to the problem.
“That drain need cleaning it’s clogged up with stuff. The kids and I take the sticks and try to get the trash we can reach out,” says Kennedy.
Bob Scanlon, the Director of Water Resources and Public Works for the City of Savannah says they’re aware of the issue…
“We had flooding last week that was most likely caused by grass that plugged the inlets,” explains Scanlon. 
Grass clippings and other yard debris along with straight up trash are usually the culprits, forcing Scanlon to send crews like this one out to frequently suck the junk out of drains.
“The storm gutters are just that, they are for storm water,” points out Scanlon. 
A message that will hopefully flow to the right ears.
The city is working on educating the public about disposing of yard waste the proper way rather than stuffing it down the drain…. the best way is to place it in a container and set it out on the appropriate day for yard waste pick up by the city.