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Homeowner blames neighbor's culvert for flooding

7 years 1 month 1 week ago Monday, February 13 2017 Feb 13, 2017 February 13, 2017 6:08 PM February 13, 2017 in News
Source: WBRZ

SLAUGHTER - Some neighbors are at odds over who is responsible for the flooding one area experienced in August. It surrounds a person's culvert and where it directs water.

Darla Howard's home is on the lower end of the block. She moved from Texas, into a home off Port Hudson-Pride Road near the north end of East Baton Rouge Parish.

Howard says water comes from the back of her home and next door. Her next door neighbors built and elevated driveway and a culvert runs through it, draining water onto Howard's property.

"It's frustrating," she said.

Last year, she says the pressure of the water tore up her driveway. To help the water drain toward the road, the homeowner dug a trench, but in August their home flooded. It's missing sheet rock and floors.

"We had about three to four inches," said Howard.

She argues the water should drain toward the road and away from her property, but her neighbors won't remove the culvert.

"They say it's not their fault," she said.

Howard says she's called the City-Parish.

"Found out that the drainage had not had a permit," she said.

She asked for help from the City-Parish but didn't like the answer she was given.

"Telling me I needed to take it to civil court," said Howard.

Her drainage problems don't stop there. She's also going after the people who sold her the house, filing a lawsuit against the previous owners about a year ago for failure to disclose drainage issues. Howard hasn't rebuilt her home yet, fearful it will flood again.

"Why spend any money fixing your home if it's going to happen again?" said Howard.

Coming home to a gutted house isn't comforting. Howard says she could be waiting another year or two before construction starts on her home.

"I hate to be the bad guy but I want to have a pretty home and enjoy my home and not have any issues with it," she said.

The City-Parish says residents are required to get permits to install culverts. There is no history of a permit at Howard's neighbor's house. The City-Parish says it will investigate any complaint. Late Monday, Howard told 2 On Your Side an inspector will be visiting her home later this week to see if there is any violation.

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