CHARLOTTE — Neighbors say every time it rains, a manhole erupts in Myers Park.
Water rushes all the way down a hill, flooding lower level apartments and and a parking lot below, leaving them wondering when the city will fix the problem.
A stormwater runoff zone sits behind homes along Queens Road near Caswell.
Jennifer Jackson has lived in the neighborhood since the late ‘90s. She says she’s been asking the city to fix the drainage issue for years.
“It is a raging river,” she said. “I mean a raging river, it is very swiftly moving.”
Jackson shared a video with Channel 9, showing what happened during Monday night’s heavy rain.
“Anytime we get a very fast rain or any kind of significant rain, I would say more than once a month,” said Jackson.
She says the rushing water quickly becomes dangerous. Cars are left underwater, sinkholes are formed, and neighbors in the apartments below are often trapped.
“These people on the bottom here get trapped in their homes,” Jackson said. “This is their only door, this is the only way they can get in and out.”
She says crews made a temporary repair back in 2018, but says nothing has been done to solve the issue. She’s worried about what could happen next.
“Nothing has been done since, despite reaching out to Storm Water Services several times,” said Jackson. “That’s been more than five years ago and we’re still dealing with this today.”
Neighbors say they’re not looking for another temporary fix. They say they want a long-term solution.
We have reached out to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services to ask whether they’re aware of the problem, and whether a permanent repair is planned.